Page 4 of Soul Forge

Another blow, the breath knocked from her. “Our army is depleted?”

“Our forces are stretched thin trying to defend our wide borders from the demons. There are more and more of the blasted things every day, and Horthan is using it to his advantage. Falkryn will burn this city and everyone in it if their lord doesn’t gain your hand. Their ships are already in our waterways.” His eyes were hard as stone. “You will do as I say, Elda. There are consequences for disobeying me.”

Dread pooled in her stomach. “I had to–”

“Will you learn not to speak out of turn?!” he snapped. “You are the face of Eden’s future, the jewel in my crown that ensures a suitable ruler takes over when I can no longer lead. Your job is to speak when I say, look how I say, andact how I want you to act.”

Elda shrank in her seat, feeling the shackles snap closed around her. Her duties would always rule her life, no matterhow hard she wished for freedom. She was born a royal, and she would wear the chains of the monarchy until there was no breath left in her. Around her, the walls started their slow, mocking rumble.

Hrothgar’s eyes flickered to the door. She turned to see it swing open, revealing Reiner and the soldier that had been guarding the door when Elda escaped. His skin was pale, his eyes so wide she could see the whites all around his irises. The tremor in his hands turned her stomach.

“It’s not his fault,” she said quickly, turning back to the king to plead with him. “Please, Father. I tricked him – I incapacitated him. He could never have known what I was going to do. This is my punishment to bear.”

Stupid girl,the voice of doubt whispered.Always getting others hurt for your own selfishness.

“Please,” she whimpered.

But there was no warmth in Hrothgar’s expression. He waved a hand, and Reiner brought the soldier further into the room. Elda raised her eyes to plead with the captain for help, but Reiner shook her head just once, a furrow settling in her brow.

“Name,” the king demanded, pointing at the soldier.

“Y-Yarrow, Your Majesty,” he stammered. His grey eyes darted back and forth between the princess and her father.

“What was your job?”

“T-to guard the door. To keep the p-princess safely inside her room.”

The king’s eyes narrowed. “You failed, Yarrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I don’t keep failures under my command.”

All the air seemed to leave the room, and Elda gripped the sides of her chair to keep herself steady. She knew, with frightening certainty, what was about to happen. Yarrow wouldbe given a choice – to break his oath of fealty to the king or to fall under Reiner’s sword. It was her fault. All of it was her fault.

“Your Majesty,” Reiner put in. “This seems harsh, sir. Others have failed to contain the princess and have not been presented with such a punishment.”

“If I wanted your opinion, I wouldaskfor it, Captain,” Hrothgar snapped. “Elda.” She looked up just in time to see his lip curl. “You were told to stay here until the banquet, and you disobeyed me. You evaded your guard and fled, and you almost died in that forest. You will learn that my orders are final, child.”

That word.Child. He used it to make her feel small, and it worked. Her chin dipped, shoulders drooping, but her eyes never left his face. She watched him turn back to the guard and put the crown back on his head. The sun shining through the coloured glass dyed it a violent shade of red.

“Show me your oath rune,” he commanded.

“Of course, Y-Your Majesty.” Yarrow unfastened his gauntlet with trembling hands, rolling up the sleeve beneath to reveal the same rune every soldier was marked with when they swore fealty to the king. Oath magic was an ancient, dangerous practice.

“You made a promise to serve me the day you joined my army. You vowed to protect the kingdom and crown. You vowed to live and die for Eden or bear the punishment if you broke your oath,” the king said, standing and clasping his hands behind his back. “Do you die for Eden, or do you bear the coward’s punishment?”

Elda choked back a sob, fingernails digging into the wooden chair. She couldn’t stand to stop him. Her legs refused to move. Tears blurred her vision, and her breaths came in quick, painful gasps. The walls were getting louder, the stone groaning.

Your fault, stupid girl.

“P-please,” Yarrow stammered, looking between the king and his captain. Reiner’s posture was rigid, her fists clenched at hersides, but she made no move to help him. Elda knew it would only get her punished if she tried.

“Make your choice, boy,” the king demanded.

Yarrow dropped to his knees and removed his helmet, bowing his head and holding the helm out to the king. “Please, Your Majesty. I will do anything else, anything. I have a young child at home. Please,” he sobbed. “Have mercy.”

Elda’s breath sawed out of her, unleashing the tears she tried so hard to hold back. They streamed down her cheeks, shoulders shaking in time with the patter of droplets hitting her leather trousers. She wanted to stand up to her father, to save Yarrow from the consequences of her selfishness, but fear kept her nailed to the chair. The fury in her father’s eyes was a weapon all on its own, one that made her quail at the sight of it.

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