The Fallen Prince

12

Rowan's POV:

My father and I stand at the gate, both of us armed and I am fully prepared to murder the man who ruined Ciaran's life.

"You are not going to be killing him," father scolds, seeing the look on my face. "He could be a source of information and help us get rid of our enemies."

I keep my mouth shut, because nothing I say will be helpful. A big part of me would prefer to go back to Ciaran, to make sure he is alright and has everything he needs, especially with the injuries he endured.

Patrick and Jameson ride through the gates with a man tied at the arms and forced to walk between them. I am pleased to see he is bleeding a bit, though it is not as bad as I wish.

This idiot man has the audacity to smile when he sees me.

"Guards, go to the village and escort everyone in here. Make sure everyone is unarmed and is actually a villager and not one of our enemies in disguise. Understood?" my father asks, and a group of twelve guards with lanterns ride toward the village.

I glare at the horrid man, and my father places his hand on my shoulder to help me relax.

"Jameson, Patrick, go with Rowan to bring this man to the dungeons. We will have the night guards keep watch of him," father says, and I know he put this on me because he trusts me to do it right and knows I won't kill this man unless he attacks me first.

We bring him to the dungeons and I leave the ropes on him as I shove him into the cell, because I don't believe he needs to have full mobility if he is in a cell.

"I should have know you are prince," the man says as I turn to leave the cell. "Prince of Vayl is not as strong, but I should have know."

That grabs my attention.

The prince is alive?!

I turn and face the evil man, trying to stay relaxed and keep my angry expression, even though I am more intrigued than upset when he says that.

"Where is the prince?!" I snap at him, and he seems to find what I say hilarious. "Do not laugh at me! Where is he?"

He laughs again, his facial expression angering me. "He is in castle, I assume. You meet him already."

"What does that mean?" I ask, my blood running cold when he says that. "He has infiltrated the castle?!"

"No," he says, shaking his head. "You invite him."

Gods, why am I talking to this insane man? What does he mean, telling me that I've invited the evil prince into my palace?! How could I invite someone that I didn't even know exists?

"Where is he?" I demand, the curiosity and fear of not knowing creating a fit of rage inside of me. "Where is he?!"

The man laughs. "He is your bed warmer, now. In the past he belong to me, but you steal him away."

"Ciaran?" I ask, more to myself than to this man, but he nods anyway.

"He was prince, in his past. Pathetic boy."

I can't stand it; I leave the cell, slamming and locking the door behind me. I give the key to Patrick before I head to the doctor where Ciaran should be.

He has answers to my questions, I am sure of it.

When I enter the doctor's treatment space, I see him finish wrapping up the deeper cut on Ciaran's forearm, and once he does I order the doctor to leave.

"Is something wrong?" Ciaran asks me, and he has genuine confusion on his face. "Rowan?"

I sit down on the chair and take a deep breath before I face him with my questions. "The prisoner, your old master, as you call him... he said something about you that had piqued my interest," I say, trying to stay calm.