The man stares at Rylan, his face contorted with a mixture of fury and fear. “Curse the king,” he spits, his voice thick with venom. “Curse the whole royal family. And especially, curse you, Prince Rylan. One day, you’ll all get what’s coming to you.”
The guards tense, ready to subdue the man, but Rylan’s calm voice cuts through the tension. “If you have something else to say, please, sir, say it,” he says, his tone steady but commanding, though I can feel the protective energy radiating from him, his body still shielding mine.
The man glares at him, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. He lifts his hand in a fist, a tattoo of a dagger covering his thick wrist. “Greed is always punished. You and your kind... you think you can take and take, but one day, you’llpay for your sins. The people won’t stand for it forever. Light always triumphs over dark. Your time is coming. Long live the rebellion! Love live the Nira’th Darin!”
His words hang in the air like an ominous cloud, and then, without another word, he turns and stalks away, disappearing into the crowd. I stand there, my pulse racing, the man’s anger and the sudden shift in Rylan’s demeanour leaving me shaken. There’s a lingering sense of danger, and I realise just how quickly things can change, how vulnerable we really are.
By the look on the faces of the onlookers, half in shock, half in awe, the loathing directed towards the royal family isn’t rare. Had all it taken was a few weeks living in the royal castle to remember the plight of the common people? How my own friends and fellow villagers were just scraping by for a full meal once a day while the king and queen ate off gold plates?
I wrap my arms around my body, feeling torn about what I’ve just seen, and also protective over Rylan, and how close he was to getting hurt.
As if noticing my discomfort, he gently leads me to a bench in a quieter spot in the bustling square, his hand resting lightly on my back, the warmth of his touch both calming and electrifying. He crouches in front of me, pulling his cloak to billow out from his shoulder, as if he’s drawing a line between us and the rest of the world, a line that no one can cross.
“Are you all right?” he asks, his voice full of concern, his eyes searching mine.
I nod, though I’m not sure if I really am. “I’m not the one you should be worried about. Does that happen often?”
“More often than you might think,” he admits, his expression serious. “But it’s my role to listen to them, especially when they criticise me. It’s important to know how the people feel about us, even if it’s hard to hear.”
I shake my head in amazement, a mix of admiration and confusion swirling within me. “You just stand there and let them yell at you? That takes some self-control. The things he said…” How do I tell Rylan that the rebel had a point without it sounding like I condoned his threats?
He smiles, though there’s a sadness behind it. “It’s not about control. It’s about honestly listening. People are angry for a reason, and if I don’t understand that reason, how can I ever make things right?”
I sigh, my admiration for him growing. “You make it sound sosimple.”
“It’s not,” he says, his voice quieter now. “But it’s necessary.”
I smile softly, then tease, “You know, for a prince, you’re surprisingly normal.”
“Normal? Is that supposed to be a compliment?” He raises an eyebrow, his playful tone making my heart flutter again. I love when he’s like this.
“Definitely,” I laugh, trying to keep the mood light despite the undercurrent of emotions tugging at me. “Most princes don’t go around getting free bread and letting people insult them in the street.”
“And pray tell, who are these other princes you’ve been spending time with? The same ones you think have royal spectres rammed up their behinds?” he replies with a wink, and the way he looks at me makes my breath catch in my throat.
I laugh again, but the levity fades as I look at him—really look at him. The man who just stood there, protecting me, listening to hatred and threats flung at him without flinching. There’s so much more to Rylan than I ever imagined, and with that realisation comes a rush of feelings I’m not sure how to handle.
“Rylan,” I begin, my voice soft, almost hesitant. “Don’t you ever wish you were just an ordinary man? No crown, no duties?”
He looks at me, his expression softening as he considers the question. For a moment, he’s silent, and I wonder if I’ve pushed too far. But then he gives me a small, wistful smile.
“Sometimes,” he admits, his voice quiet, and there’s a vulnerability there that tugs at something deep within me. “But I don’t think I could ever truly be normal. My life, my blood, is tied to this kingdom and its people. Even if I wanted to walk away, I’m not sure I’d know how. I have always lived and died to protect them. And I can’t see that ever changing.” His wordshang between us, heavy with meaning. And then he adds, “But sometimes, yes, I wish I were anyone but me. And all the things that come with being me. It makes the possibility of some things I want… impossible.”
“Like what?” I can’t imagine there could be anything he could want more than what he has.
He stares at me, and then just shrugs. “What about you, future Aquilith?” he deflects, “do you ever wish you were someone you aren’t?”
I take his arm and lead him back to the activity of the town square. “Right now, I just want to be someone with a fried pastry in my hand, and I think I’m with just the man who can make that happen.”
He laughs.
TWENTY-TWO
Eirabella
“Ready, prince’s pet?”Selene taunts. She stands a few feet away, twirling her staff with a practised ease that only highlights the gap between us. There’s a glint in her eyes that I don’t like—a challenge, perhaps, or something more sinister.
Rylan’s stuck in a meeting for my first Advanced Elemental Warfare class, where Master Kaelen teaches how to combine magic and weapons. Chasina had finally given me her approval that I had progressed enough in my combat lessons to move to the next stage in my training. She’d admitted so reluctantly, and when I’d thrown my sweaty arms around her in gratitude, she’d stood there, as stiff as a totem pole, telling me in no uncertain terms not to embarrass her. While I couldn’t promise I wouldn’t, I’d been nervous but excited about my new class, and I just wish Rylan was here to witness how far I’ve come.
