Conquering The Unbroken

Chapter 44

As soon as we arrive to the confines of Arego, untouched by the king, for now, we're met by embraces and smiling faces. They result from who we bring with us, the crown prince. But we have no reason to smile. We force ourselves to do so when met by Takata and Maury, her shadow, along with Alaric.

They clap their hands onto our shoulders and congratulate a job well done. We did it; we rescued the crown prince. We're alive, so that must mean everything went well. If only they knew the half of it. Meanwhile, Silas silently takes in Arego with a wandering, curious eye. He studies the buildings and the people and watches them like they're ghosts he long thought to be dead, only to watch them swallow a deep thrush of breath.

I try to keep my eye on him while embracing those I've grown to consider my friends, but I find myself swept into the crowd. No one speaks to him, hardly anyone looks at him other than to cast concerned and worried glances in his direction. He's out of his element here. Without me having to reveal the condition he's in, that's already clear to the rebels.

I wonder if their distance comes from Alaric telling them not to expect much if we managed to make it out. As Silas fiddles with a piece of string in his hand, I can't thank him enough for that precautious warning. The last thing he needs is a bombardment of attention from people he has never met before and has only known through signing his name at the bottom of a relative's condolence letter.

He's...smaller in Arego. I hadn't given myself the opportunity to truly look at him over these recent days, but his father's control took all his weight, his muscle, and left him with weak bones. How quick he changed...I can only imagine his mind followed in the same footsteps; damage underneath the skin that we can't see.

We have a long road ahead of us after getting him out. In doing so, we're responsible for everything that is to come. Whether Silas wants to be part of this or not, whether he wants to crumble and become an ordinary witch, whether he wants to forget. Relying on a broken man to lead a kingdom is just as dangerous as relying on the current king to change his ways.

A familiar face pushes through the crowd, but she doesn't go to me. She doesn't go to any of the rebels that left over a week ago. Dalis rushes to Silas, throwing her arms around his neck. The embrace catches him off-guard, and he stumbles back against the force of her colliding against him. A pinch of a smile contorts his face as he pats her back, leaning down to rest his chin against her shoulder.

Dalis does the work of pulling away and holds Silas at arm's length. I'm too far away to hear what they have to say to each other, and I'm currently wrapped in an embrace of my own from Citlali, but they smile and Silas nods. I read his lips. I'm doing well.

That's a lie. I don't buy it for a second. I want Dalis to look at me so I can silently tell her that what he's speaking isn't the case. A crown prince is as good a liar as any, and if the witch of water can't see through his soft smile into the hollowness of his eyes...

Citlali breaks away from me and a squeal erupts from her when she spots Tesha. They rush at each other, embracing, and to catch everyone by surprise, Tesha kisses her with all her might. At first, Citlali leans away from it, raising her brows in shock. Just as a warm wind brushes from the coast, she throws caution to it and wraps her arms around Tesha's shoulders, kissing back just as passionately.

I like to think I had some influence on their relationship. After all, I was the one that told Tesha to go for it. Time is fleeting, and she'd be more upset if they never got together rather than losing each other in the fight.

After disappearing through the fray of greeting and laughter, Renit appears at my side from beyond two embracing men. "Alaric ordered a meeting," he whispers in my ear.