The Mark of the Dawnbringer

Chapter 9

Somehow, Rhea had lost her shoes in the valley. She noticed only when her feet hit the cold marble floors of the palace. There was enough distance between her and the Prince that she hoped he didn't know she was following him. Hall after hall, she followed him, her skirts swishing around her ankles, she almost tripped once or twice, catching herself before she could be caught. It took most of her self restraint to not call him out the entire time, but she didn't want to risk anyone overhearing them.

Prince Leander slipped into the library, she squeezed through the doors before they closed with a dull thud, locks clicking in place. The grand chandelier lit the room in a bright, flickering haze, candelabras lined the walls, leaving no space from darkness, save for the wavering shadows. Leander sat, shoulders hunched and head buried in his hands, at the far table near the windows. Through the windows, she could see the clouds covering the moon, and beneath the stillness of the valley below, Bishop Ivan still standing before everyone—Bishop Erlihn no longer beside his friend.

Rhea pulled out the seat beside Leander, sitting with more flourish than was necessary. Leander looked up briefly from his hands. "It's about time," he said. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I knew you were behind me the whole time."

The Prince sat back in his chair and reached into his pocket, producing a gold coin. He rolled the coin on his knuckles and made it disappear in his hand only to reappear in his other hand. She watched him for a few minutes.

"You shouldn't have run," she said, her voice cutting through the silence. He stiffened in his seat.

"They fear me, they do not want me." His hand clenched around the gold coin.

She pushed back and stood from her seat. "Then why did you allow Aldir bless you. You will ruin this kingdom. You will be the reason we are driven to darkness and destruction."

She heaved her breaths as she waited for him to reply. He didn't; his fists clenched on top of the table.

"I have fought and bleed for the safety of this kingdom and its people, and because of you it all will have been for nothing."

Leander slammed his fists on the table as he stood. "I did what I had to do!" he roared. "I did what I did to protect the ones I love."

"And what has it led to, hm? Your parents are dead and your people fear you. I saw the way they looked at you as you left. Pure and unfiltered fear. When word gets out about the temple, they will blame you--and they will have every right to."

"Have you some just to yell at me, Rhea?" He had turned to face, anger etched into every line in his face. "What is done is done. I will not drive my kingdom, my home into ruin."

Rhea shook her head, braids swishing. "You do not realize that you have let in the God of Destruction into your home, do you? He knows no peace. It is his nature to destroy. That was the whole reason the Mother exiled him from Vinsir. Or does that not matter to you?"

"Leave me, Rhea." He turned back to the table, leaning against it. His fingers went white with the force with which he gripped the table.

"You may be a monster," she said, not moving, "but we still need a decent king. You are all we have."

"You have Lysandra, why not put her on the throne?"

Again, Rhea shook her head. "Your sister has been studying the wrong things, you know how to run a kingdom. You were born, bred, and trained to be a king."

Besides, Lysandra had spent so long away from Savron, Rhea doubted she would be that attached to it.

Rhea backed up a few steps, heading toward the library doors. "Your Advising Bishops are starting a war, Prince. It will take a king to stop it. But then again, your Blessed God may not want it to stop."

She didn't give him the time to respond. She had already slipped out the door when she heard a scream and a crash against the door.

Let him rage, she thought. Let him rage.

She found Kier in her rooms when she returned. A serpentine grin spread across her lips. "I'm glad you're here."

"Need a distraction?"

"Oh, most definitely."