The Forsaken King

Once he was cooled off, I found my place in his side, his shoulder my pillow.

“How long is the journey to HeartHolme?”

“Couple days.”

“On foot?”

“Horse.”

“Oh, that will be a nice change.”

“Don’t try to run.”

I stilled at the command—because running was the last thing on my mind.

“I won’t be able to protect you if she’s there.”

“I wasn’t going to…” Honestly, the idea of escape had been forgotten. It was once my primary focus, but now…not even an afterthought. It wasn’t just because of the yetis and the Teeth in my path. It was because…I didn’t have any desire. “I’m dreading this, though.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“That’s not why. Come on, I threw piss on a yeti. I’m not scared.”

He turned his head to look down at me. “Then what is it?”

“How are we supposed to get it on with your mom there?”

A very subtle smile moved on to his lips. “You can’t wait a couple days?”

“Uh, can you?” I propped myself up on an elbow and looked down at him. “I was literally asleep, and that wasn’t enough to stop you.”

He moved his arm underneath his head as he watched me, wearing that hard expression that guarded everything underneath from the surface. “We’ll see what happens.”

“We’re sharing a bedroll, right? Because I’ll freeze if we don’t.”

“Yes. It’s the best way for me to keep an eye on you.”

“You really think you need to keep an eye on me?” I asked, slightly offended.

He never answered.

“What happened today? You’ve been weird ever since…”

He looked away, as if to dismiss the line of questioning.

“Why won’t you tell me—”

“Because I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Why?”

He gave an annoyed sigh.

“I’m not going to stop asking you.”

“Clearly.” Now he looked at me head on. “She realized the truth and sent Geralt to do what I couldn’t. Ian chained me up, and then I was helpless. My brother has greater loyalty to me than her, so he let me go. I got there before Geralt entered the cabin, and I threatened to kill him if he didn’t stand down. The queen didn’t call my bluff because she knows I don’t make threats I don’t mean.”

I’d sat on that bed in the dark, having no idea what was taking place outside.

“My mother and I had words… That was the hardest part.”

“Why?”

He was quiet for so long it seemed like the conversation was over, like he’d shared as much as he was willing to share. “Because I realized how much it still bothers her…what happened. I failed to protect her because I was just a boy, but I still carry that guilt every single day of my life.” His eyes shifted away, to another spot in the cabin. “I’m a man now—and I won’t fail her again.”

As if our bodies were joined together, his pain transferred to me, hitting me right in the chest. It was a sickening feeling, like a constant weight in the pit of my stomach. My lungs hurt with my breaths. Everything hurt. “I’m…sorry.”

He wouldn’t look at me.

“Really. I am.”

His jaw tightened slightly, the tension moving into the features of his face. “I know.”

“Then…why do you look so angry?”

“Because I wish I didn’t believe you.”

I was finally given real clothing, thick breeches made for the cold climate, a long-sleeved tunic that kept my body warm, and a cloak made of fur to survive the freezing temperatures. But I was given no weapons.

“What if we’re attacked?”

“You have me.”

“What if we’re attacked by a horde of Teeth?”

“Then it doesn’t matter.”

I walked beside him, irritated that I was being denied a basic right. “In case you’ve forgotten, I fought for you against the Teeth. I helped you take down that yeti, and I had your back the entire time—”

“These are Queen Rolfe’s wishes.” He stopped beside me, the two of us walking together toward the stone keep. He gave me a calm look, but it was packed with annoyance. “Period.”

“Maybe you should be king instead.”

He held my gaze, not giving any hint of a reaction.

“I think you’d be a lot better at it.”

He turned away and dismissed what I’d said.

I followed him. “The thought has never crossed your mind—”

“This conversation is over.”

We entered the stone keep, a place I’d visited when I’d first come here. There was an enormous fire in the center, the smoke rising in the opening between the stones. It was several degrees warmer here than outside near the cabins.

Queen Rolfe stood there, donned in her furs and feathers, her lithe body toned with muscle like she didn’t just sit on her ass all day and order people around. I remembered her in the battle, her face banged up from the hits she took.

She had my respect for that.

Ian was there, a mirror image of his brother, with the same short hair, the same bright eyes.