A Ghost's Wish [MxM]

15. A Spar

The talk of a hidden heir had stifled the room.  It was a treasonous discussion that Oliver thought would have been impossible the night before. Yet his father and uncle seemed to know more than they let on. 

"I never thought I would say this to you, but you're too smart for your own good," Aaron said quietly.

Oliver's lips curled. "Do you know where the heir is?"

Aaron released a long breath. He wasn't sure if this was something they should have shared with Oliver. He hadn't even breached the topic with Conrad, but Antony insisted that Oliver needed to know.

"We used to know," Aaron's voice was hoarse. "But a couple of years back, his village was destroyed, so he has been wandering about. If he doesn't want to be found, he never will be."

"Does he know of his birthright?" Oliver's words trembled. 

Aaron nodded. 

Oliver cursed as he stood up angrily, tossing his book to the floor. "So he runs from his duties."

"Last we heard, he is searching for an item to assist him with his claim to the throne. Things like this will take some time."  Aaron seemed to be insistent on defending the heir's complacency.

Oliver shook his head, heavy with frustration. "Time is a luxury we do not have. If Piers sits on that throne, the realms will be threatened."

Aaron sighed and creased his brow. "I know you dislike the Prince—" 

Oliver cut him off with a laugh. It was chilling enough to lower the temperature in the room. "Dislike? My affection for him cannot be affiliated with the mild-manner word 'dislike'. Honestly, I don't know which is greater; my hatred towards Piers or my fear of him."

Antony and Aaron shared pale expressions. They didn't know how to respond to these terrible words.

Oliver leaned against the wall, reining in his anger. "I will give this heir two years to find his item and take the throne."

Antony felt a chill creep up his back when he heard Oliver set a timeline. Something about his tone made him realize that the heir had no choice in the matter.

Oliver ran his palm over his eyes. "Piers will end our engagement during his coming-of-age, so I will lose access to the palace and will be no help to him. But I will have an opportunity to kill Piers in two years."

He recalled that Piers held a grand celebration in the capital two years after his coming-of-age. He was careless and didn't keep his guards with him during this night. He was almost assassinated. Oliver knew that he could be successful if he attempted the assassination.

"Are you sure this is the route you want to go?" Aaron was looking at Oliver as if he had never seen him before.

"Absolutely."

Antony crossed his arms over his chest. "Then you need people to support you. I will integrate you into the Core as soon as possible."

The Core was a selective army branch that only accepted highly skilled soldiers. They were only loyal to the Guardian of the Realms and based in Wynter.

Aaron was shocked. "The Core? But Oliver knows nothing about the army. They will eat him alive!"

Antony laughed. "So he has fooled you too, brother? I would like to see who has the capabilities to devour Oliver."

Aaron still wasn't able to grasp his meaning. Could his son be something more than the headache-inducing child he has always known?

Oliver coughed a little. "You mean to send me back to Wynter?"