Page 57 of A Broken Throne of Bronze

“Cryssa, I—I know.” Seeming worn out, he takes a breath and closes his eyes. After a moment, he opens them, and I can see the unspoken apology in his expression.

I unclench my jaw, but my walls don’t come down. Not all the way. I can’t keep letting my guard down around him.

“You won’t find answers here.” I cross my arms.

Viridian sighs and wipes his face. “I’m quite aware.”

Neither one of us speaks for a moment.

“And we’re not going to find answers standing here,” I say bluntly.

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Then what would you suggest?”

“We won’t find answers here,” I say, “but commoners talk. If there are any answers, they’ll be outside the castle walls.”

Viridian’s eyes fall to the floor. He purses his lips as if he were mulling over the thought.

Then, he looks up at me. “How do I know that this isn’t all part of some plan to escape?”

“You don’t,” I tell him. “But you know I’m right.”

He presses his mouth into a fine line and levels his gaze. If the royal historian and records were a dead end, then he has no other leads. I am right, and he despises it.

“Fine,” he grumbles. “We leave tonight.”

“What of the guards?” I protest. “We have to tell someone.”

His lip curls, venom spilling from his mouth. “If the High King can slither away unannounced, then so can we.”

“What about appearances?” I cock my head. “People will talk when they find out we’re gone.”

Viridian’s voice loses its edge and is much lighter now. Calmer. More calculated. “Myrdin and Lymseia will tell them that I’ve taken you on a romantic getaway.”

“Oh, will they now?” I lean back, amused. “And where is it they’ll tell everyone we’ve gone?”

“That depends. Where would you like to go, Little Fawn?”

“I’ve heard the food in the Copper Court is to die for and that the fjords of the Silver Court are beautiful.”

“Hmm,” Viridian says, stroking his chin. “Visiting both would be quite the trip. Pick one, for now. Whichever one we don’t get to this time, will be our next hypothetical destination.”

The choice between delicious food and beautiful views is an easy one.

“Copper.”

Viridian smirks. “Then that’s where they’ll think we are.”

I almost feel the urge to smile.

We’re not really going to the Copper Court, I remind myself. And we won’t be going on any future trips together.

I still plan to escape. I will find Loren and set him free. After that, I’m not so sure what I’ll do. But I won’t be here.

My mouth tightens.

The thought doesn’t ring true like it used to.

“Come,” Viridian says, motioning for me to follow.

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