AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It was worth a shot.”
“Not actually.”
“We have a new mission now,” I said.
Throwing her hands up in frustration, Henrike forced out a breath. “And what mission is that?” She stepped closer. “Dragging the spoiled princess up north to her cousin’s on some life-changing journey? She won’t change one bit, no matter how many sacrifices her father makes to their god. The woman is rotten. Selfish, spoiled, and unkind. A true Night Queen.”
“That is not our problem. As long as we hold up our end of the bargain, we will get paid by the king as agreed, whether or not Mina finds her way back to her kind self.”
“Finds her way back? I don’t think she ever possessed so much as a grain of kindness inside her black heart.”
My eyes darkened. “You seem to be losing a bit of that yourself.”
Henrike took a step backward as if to throw a fist at me.
“Do you think I enjoy any of this?” I said, spreading my arms at the cracked walls around us. “Do you think I chose to fight years in a senseless war? To miss our mother’s and father’s funerals? Chose to always feel exhausted, hungry, and cold? And what for? To have to come like a beggar to these lands and do the one thing I hate more than anything...lie. And for what? Coin?” I tried to whisper, but the last words came out too loudly. I took in a deep breath.
“No, Henrike.” I sighed. “I don’t enjoy any of this. I hate it. It robs me of the small bit of pride I still had after years of fighting in the mud. But the king will pay us handsomely. Enough to rebuild our horse farms, fix up the castle, and ease taxes on our people. It will also allow you to marry for love. So if I need to be a prideless beggar to get all of that, then I will do it.”
My sister’s watery eyes found mine. “Alrick, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry won’t help me,” I countered too harshly. “Just stop your bickering, and let’s do what we must.”
With that, I left. I’d never spoken to my sister that way. My love for her had kept me sane through the horrors of war. No matter what atrocities I faced, I knew what I was doing would help keep her safe and provide a better future for her. But my emotions were running wild. My sister was a good soul, I never doubted that, but her pride and stubbornness made her hard to deal with. To make matters worse, I had somehow managed to bring a woman just as stubborn as her into my life. One that seemed more prideful too. One whose pretty eyes somehow lingered on me long after she was out of sight. But if things went according to plan, I’d be rid of her soon, and Mina could return to being just a distant memory of a kind little girl who I had once given a horse many years ago.
