Page 96 of Into the Heartless Wood
“So she does not grow up to commit the same treason.”
“I don’t understand what my father has done! Why won’t you tell me?” My voice is high and strained—I’mshoutingat theking.
He grabs my shoulders, his fingers digging into my skin. “It is by my grace alone that you are not currently languishing in a cell with your father. I believe my captain already presented you with my generous offer: Enlist in my army, train with my soldiers. Prove you are loyal to Tarian, to your king.”
His fingers squeeze tighter still, and I gasp at the pain. “Iamloyal. So is my father.”
He laughs. “Tread carefully, Owen Merrick. Take the chance I give you. Enlist. Train. Prove you are no traitor. Perhaps one day I’ll take you into my personal guard—maybe even let you see your sister again. But right now, there’s too much at stake. So. Will you take my mercy? Or shall I throw you in prison and set the day for your execution?”
Spots dance in front of my eyes. Fear bites even deeper than the king’s fingers, and I feel the intensity of my own helplessness.
“Answer me, boy.”
I suck in a ragged breath.
He shakes me, hard. “Answer me!”
“I will take your mercy,” I whimper.
He lets go of me, and I tumble to the floor. He brushes some speck of dust from his jacket. “Do notdareappeal to me again. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Thank me for my magnanimity.”
I’m trembling violently, and realize to my horror that tears are pouring down my face. I press my forehead into the carpet, groveling before him. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I hear his step, the creak of the door, and I’m alone again.
It takes me some moments to collect myself. I wipe the tears from my eyes, untangle my limbs, stand. I can’t stop shaking.
Taliesin appears at the door, holding a sheet of paper and a pen. The pen drips ink on the carpet. “I understand you have decided to enlist.”
“Give me the damned paper,” I growl at him.
He hands it over. I grab the pen and scrawl my name at the bottom of the page without reading a word.
Chapter Thirty-Six
SEREN
CANGEN SAYS GRAVELY: “WE DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO SPINyou a soul. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Then what can I do?” My voice cracks, breaks. “How can I forsake the monster I was created to be?”
“We can change your form.” The sunlight gilds the rowan berries in Criafol’s crown a liquid gold. “We can make youappearhuman. Essentially, youwouldbe human, in all aspects but one. But your choices, your actions—those are up to you, as they have always been.”
Hope grips me once more.
Fierce.
Bright.
Pren says: “Temporarily. We cantemporarilymake you appear human. Our mother’s magic is stronger. We cannot thwart it forever.”
I kneel before them,
bowing my head to the earth.
