Till Death Do Us Part

24. A Looming Threat

Skylar stood at the window of her old bedroom, looking down at the courtyard. At first, when they finally reached her family estate, she was flooded by the relief of homecoming. But now, when the emotions subsided and she finally bathed and ate, the whole place seemed somehow different for her. It felt smaller and strangely unfamiliar.

The strong arms wrapped around her waist, and Gawyn rested his chin on her shoulder.

"What's the matter? I thought you'd be happy at home. But you don't look happy. Why the scary frown?"

"I just realised something. I don't know when and how that happened, but I started to treat Evergreen as my home. My true home."

Gawyn tightened his arms around her and brushed her cheek with his lips. "I'm glad to hear it."

Skylar turned around to face him and cupped his face in her hands. "You've shaved."

"Finally." He sighed. "This stubble was driving me crazy."

"Aww, I liked it. It looked perfect on you. More rugged," Skylar said with a smirk.

"Oh? Maybe I should let it grow next time," he murmured and kissed her.

Someone knocked at the door, and Aurora barged into the room before they pulled away.

"Skylar, the audience will be held soon, so you really should..." she trailed off, looking at them with sudden interest. "Oh, did I interrupt something?"

"I thought it was a well-known custom to wait for an invitation after a knock," Gawyn grumbled, annoyed.

"It's all right, Rori." Skylar patted her husband's arm and gave him a placating smile. "We're ready to go."

"Come then." Aurora gestured for them to follow and left the room.

"I thought your sister supposed to be the one with good manners?" Gawyn murmured.

"Well, my brashness must have rubbed off on her," Sky replied with a shrug.

The audience chamber was no more than a large room, nothing like vast and lavish chambers in the palace. Skylar was surprised once again by how oddly small everything seemed to her now. Colart was sitting on the only chair in the room. It was supposed to look like a throne, but it was just a sturdy old piece of wood. Several guards were stationed all around the room, which was lit with torches, the flickering flames sending dancing shadows every which way.

"Lord General, Skylar," Colart nodded at them when they entered.

"Is he here?" Skylar asked with a mixture of excitement and dread.

"The guards are leading him here as we speak. I want you two to stay out of sight. Just a precaution."

"But..." Skylar protested, but Gawyn put a hand on her shoulder.

"He's right, Sky. No reason to announce our presence far and wide."

"Fine!" She rolled her eyes and let him lead her into the shadowed corner of the room. It was night already, so the only light source in the room was the torches. Concealing themselves in the darkness was not an arduous task.

"You too, Rori," Colart grumbled, looking at his older daughter with a frown.

"I will certainly not hide," Aurora said calmly. "I can't possibly leave you to do all the talking, Father. That wouldn't end well."

The man scoffed. "Fine. I know there's no arguing with you." He gestured at the guards. "Fetch her a chair, swiftly!"

Skylar watched from the shadows as the tall guard brought a smaller chair and put it down next to Colart. Aurora smiled at him, her eyes shining, and Skylar realised it was Willem, the man her sister loved so badly that she chose him over her. Skylar was expecting a flare of anger, but there was none. She finally understood when she saw how they looked at each other.