The Silver Crown

26.

I returned to my room pretty late in the afternoon. Daivon and Marek—Marek especially—could only get away from their other duties for so long, but I was honored that they had chosen to spend that time with me. We had done a lot of archery, not just me shooting. Marek was even a better shot than I was.

After the archery, I had shown them my knife throwing skills. That had been a happy mistake because then the two boys insisted that I teach them that skill.

I spent the late afternoon and evening in my room, figuring out the details of what I needed to do to complete my rescue of Tobin and how to begin tearing the kingdom apart. The priest had told me that he and his brothers were in Arovia to end the current government system and make things more equal. They had explained that they had the true god—the One God—on their side. I had rolled my eyes because I am not religious. Then he had told me what they needed me to do. The priest had said that they had a plan to get me into the castle. My job was to wait for them to contact me and then figure out how to get all of the targets—I assumed they meant the king and queen—into a specific room in the castle. The priest assured me that that was my only job. I had laughed in his face and told him that it was impossible for me—me!—to get the sovereigns to do anything. The priest had said to do my part or Tobin would die.

Now he had gotten me into a position where I did have the power, or at least the potential, to control some of the monarchs' actions. Now I just had to wait until I was contacted again with the time and place. In the meantime, the goal was to make the royal family trust me so that they would do what I asked.

I had just moved on to imagining Tobin running up to me, me picking him up, spinning him around and then never letting him leave me again, but was interrupted by a knock on my door. I hadn't locked it this time so I yelled, "Come in."

The door opened slowly, as though unsure and Brinian walked into the room. Before he could open his mouth to say anything, I spoke first. "I'm sorry about earlier. It was unfair of me to treat you like that." I wasn't sure if it was my relaxing and fun day with Marek and Daivon or if I was just in a good mood from imagining Tobin safe in my arms, but all my anger from this morning was gone and I was ashamed of my previous actions.

He paused, still in the door and feigned shock. "Are you apologizing to me?" He grinned to let me know he was teasing.

"Yeah, yeah, just don't let it go to your head," I gave a broad grin back, still reclining on the cushions in my bed. I had stacked them up against the headboard so that I was leaning against a mountain of pillows.

He stepped farther into the room and closed the door behind him, serious again. "I actually came to apologize to you too. I know that this is a tough situation for you and instead of trying to help you, I've been trying to force you to be someone that you're not."

"I'm over it," I said, quickly. "I've been baiting you since the moment I met you so it's my own fault."

"It's really not. I am angry with myself for what I did to you, for hurting you for information and just generally being an ass, and so I directed that anger toward you, when I was really mad at myself. I am very sorry, Princess."

"Oh, please call me Kade. You don't understand how uncomfortable is it to hear everyone calling me 'Princess' or 'Alyssandra' or even 'lady'."

"Alright, Kade." He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing up at me. "Whatever you need to help you adjust to this new role, I'll do it," Brinian said seriously.

"Thanks, captain," I smiled at him.

"If I'm to call you by your name, then you can call me Brinian."