Page 9 of The Sorrow of Shadows

AURELIUS

It’s been over three weeks since my arrival in the capital, and the longer I’m here, the more questions I have. I swear Breyla’s honeysuckle and citrus scent still clings to me from our encounter three nights ago. The servants whisper about a castle ghost resembling the late king, my brother, Raynor. Unable to sleep that night, I was wandering the castle hoping to find the ghost when Breyla ran into me. Though it was dark, I could clearly tell she was not the annoying pre-teen I remember from my time living in the castle. Gone was the lanky girl who didn’t quite know what to do with her too-long limbs. In her place was the general with toned muscles, thick curves, and a mouth that just didn’t know when to quit. She was confident in herself and her skills, and despite what I said about her balance that night, she was incredibly graceful when not piss drunk.

Breyla had been doing her best to avoid me since I arrived in Ciyoria. Not that I could blame her. I am betrothed to her mother, Queen Genevieve, but she doesn’t have all the facts.Closing my eyes, I replay the memory of my first encounter with the queen upon my arrival at the castle.

“Welcome to Ciyoria, Lord Aurelius.” Queen Genevieve smiled, and though it didn’t reach her eyes, I knew she was trying. Her husband had just died, and she was being forced into another marriage just to keep her throne.

“Please, Your Majesty, just Aurelius. We have known each other too long to be that formal with one another.” At that, she smiled genuinely. I opened my arms, and she stepped into me, wrapping her arms around me tightly. I could feel the tension in her body start to melt away, even if just slightly.

“If that is the case, then I am just Gen to you. At least in private.” She had always been Gen to me, but it had been years since I last saw her, so it was difficult to know where we stood.

Reluctantly, I pulled back from her and looked her in the eyes. “I’m not going to ask the bullshit questions everyone asks because they feel obligated. I know you’re not okay.”

She sighed. “Thank you, Aurelius.”

“But I do have other questions.”

“Of course. I would expect that.”

There were so many I needed answers to, but the biggest one was, “Why me?”

“That’s simple. You’re the only one I trust.”

I had agreed to the proposal for my own reasons; reasons Breyla—and everyone else—didn’t need to know. Though Breyla had done her best to avoid me, I had been very closely monitoring her. She was drunk often, so it wasn’t hard to keep an eye on her without catching her attention. I would have expected her to keep on her training, meet with her commanders about the looming threat of war from the kingdom of Prudia, or at least spend time with her grieving mother. She had done none of those things. She often slept late into the day, ignoring all responsibilities, and made a game out of trying to piss off as many of her mother’s council members as possible.

My Hemonia Gift not only gave me the ability to manipulate blood, but also the ability to sense when something was residing in it, such as disease, infection, or alcohol. So, color me surprised when I noticed over the last three days, since our late-night run-in, that her blood had been entirely free of alcohol when she was seemingly inebriated.

To make things more interesting, my secondary Anima Gift—in my case, the ability to sense intention and truth—had caught brief glimpses of words and actions that didn’t align. She had stronger mental shields than most, probably a result of her best friend, Elijah, also possessing an Anima Gift. For him, it was the ability to read memories. Very few knew I harbored this Gift, but it proved useful at court. The longer I spent in this castle, the more convoluted the situation became. This morning was a breaking point for me.

“Good morning, Princess,” I said as Breyla plopped into the dining chair. Her emerald-green eyes shoot a glare my way. I don’t think she liked it when I called her that, which made me want to do it even more. She looked broken and erratic. Her hair was braided in a crown, yet tendrils of her warm auburn and sun-kissed locks were sticking out and loose. It looked as if she slept on it. Her clothes were clean, but not pressed, and riddled with wrinkles. I’m not the only one that noticed.

“Darling, are you sleeping alright? You look troubled.” The concern was evident in Gen’s eyes. She was grieving her husband, yet still concerned with the wellbeing of others. I squeezed her hand lightly to reassure her. Breyla noticed, sneering at me. It was apparent she didn’t approve of her mother’s relationship with me, regardless of the nature of it. There was absolutely nothing romantic between her mother and me, but she didn’t know that.

With a healthy amount of disdain, Breyla responded, “Sleeping just fine, Mother. It appears you’ve been sleeping well by the look of things.” I didn’t like what she was insinuating. I wasn’t sure if it was what she said or the way she said it. Whatbothered me more was that she knew I occupied the chamber right next to her own, yet she still threw that insensitive jab at her mother.

Gen brushed it off and continued, “Do we need to assign you new maids? It looks like Lyla has lost her touch. I know her hands trouble her, but?—“

“No need. I dismissed my ladies. I care for myself just fine when I’m away from the castle. I see no need for them here.” Her words were abrupt. While they were true, it was also very unusual for royals or nobility to attend to themselves while in the castle.

“I see.” Gen was upset. “Well, Lord Seamus has petitioned me to allow his daughter, Ophelia, to attend you.”

“If Ophelia wishes to be my lady, she can speak with me herself.”

Gen sighed deeply. “Very well. I believe Lord Aurelius has a matter he wishes to discuss with you.”

She turned her gaze to me and, with a saccharine smile, asked, “Yes, stepdaddy dearest? How can I be of service to you?”

My nostrils flared at the tone in her voice and what it made me want to do to her.Such a brat. “I received word this morning that Prince Ayden II of Prudia attacked a village on the outskirts of Rimor. They say it was unprovoked, but your soldiers weren’t far away and were able to end the skirmish with minimal casualties.”

“I was aware of that, yes. My soldiers are well-trained. I am unconcerned. Prince Ayden is just throwing a fit because my father killed his in battle years ago.”

Unconcerned? She was unconcerned. I could feel my temperature rising, but before I could say more, she stood and left the dining room.

I had been furious all day. How could she act so casually about the loss of lives? She is the general of our army, yet she can’t be bothered to have a conversation about an open act ofaggression against us. It’s early evening when I find her lounging on a cushioned seat in the library.

I close the doors, locking them behind me, and lean against the frame. “Evening, Princess,” I say, staring at the back of her head.

She sighs and slams her book shut. Turning to glare at me, she says, “Stop calling me Princess.”

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