Page 65 of The Sunbound Princess
My feet moved without permission, carrying me around the bed. I sat next to him and took his hand. “That is monstrous,” I said, anger making my voice unsteady. “I’m so sorry, Nikolas.”
Surprise touched his eyes. He looked down at our joined hands, then placed his other on top. “Difficult circumstances have the power to make monsters of us all,” he said quietly. “She did what she had to do.”
“No,” I said firmly. “There are always choices. Always. What happened to you was wrong.” The ache in my heart becamea hot, piercing thing. He’d suffered. Only the gods knew how much.
A flicker of vulnerability appeared in his eyes. Then his usual smooth expression fell back into place. He squeezed my hand. “It’s ancient history, Princess. I left the brothel shortly before my eighth birthday. Of course, I wasn’t as good a thief then as I am now, and I got caught.” He looked at Dain. “We met in the dungeons of Saldu. The guards didn’t realize I was small enough to slip between the bars of my cell, so I’d sneak over to Dain’s when I got bored.”
Dain’s eyes softened. “And steal my food.”
“You’ve got it backward, big guy.” Nikolas looked at me. “Dain’s been eating like a draft horse since he was born.”
I looked at him, indecision filling me. Nikolas’s story was heart-wrenching. Dain’s was probably worse.
“I didn’t know either of my parents,” he said in his usual low rumble. “The orphanage was my home until they threw me out when I was nine. I was too much trouble, they said, always asking questions.”
Tears clogged my throat. Was that why he was so quiet? Because he’d learned that curiosity meant being thrown away?
He turned his gaze to the window. “I found shelter in the great library of Saldu. I’d sleep between the stacks of books, hidden from the scribes and scholars.” A small smile touched his lips, and fondness entered his voice. “They tutored wealthy merchants’ sons there, and I listened from behind the columns. I couldn’t read, but I learned about the world through those lectures. History, mathematics, geography. But my favorite lectures were the ones about the great warriors of Saldu Kuum.” He looked at me. “I dreamed of seeing my name beside theirs one day.”
“You will,” I said impulsively. Probably foolishly. But I couldn’t help it. The little boy he’d been deserved so much better than what he’d been given.
Dain’s smile turned wistful. “It’s a nice thought, Princess, but unlikely. Even if my name appeared in those books, I couldn’t read it.”
He never learned.And he was breaking my heart. “I could teach you,” I said, my chest aching. “If you wanted.”
He reached out and brushed a knuckle over my jaw. “Maybe.” A hint of mischief glinted in his eyes. “Nikolas says I’m too old.”
“No,” Nikolas countered, “I said you’re toostubborn. I’ve tried to teach you dozens of times.”
Dain grunted. “And you’re a terrible teacher. You get impatient when I don’t understand right away.”
“I do not!” Nikolas said. Then a sheepish look crossed his face. “All right, maybe sometimes I do.”
A smile tugged at my mouth, and my heart lightened a bit. Life had dealt them both a harsh hand, but they’d found each other.
Nikolas looked at me. “What about you, Princess?”
I startled. “Me?”
“You’ve heard our stories. What about you?” His eyes twinkled. “Is it true that the streets of Lum Laras sing in the sun?”
I laughed. “I’m afraid that’s untrue. The palace has golden spires that catch the sunlight, but the streets are just regular stone.”
“And your childhood?” Dain prompted.
I hesitated, considering how to answer. My upbringing had been privileged beyond measure compared to theirs. Complaining would seem ungrateful, insulting even.
“It was comfortable,” I said carefully. “I never lacked for anything.”
Nikolas tilted his head. “Except?”
My heart sped up. “Except what?” I asked, pulling my hand from his. But it was too late. He’d seen through me, his sharp pickpocket’s eyes missing nothing.
I dropped my gaze to the quilt. He and Dain had shared their pasts. The least I could do was offer the same.
“I never knew my mother, either,” I said. “She died bringing me into the world. And my father…” I swallowed, old memories surfacing. “He was a legendary knight. If he had the choice, I think he would have preferred war over peace.” I looked up. “He loved war strategy and battle. Since he couldn’t have it, he spent most of his time traveling from one jousting tournament to another. I stayed behind in Lum Laras.”
Dain’s brow furrowed. “Alone?”
