Page 40 of Immortal Sentry

“I would have loved playing in these passageways as a child. What a pity I didn’t know of them.” Eron ran a hand over a stone wall. “Like I said, I knew of some servants’ stairs, but not these.”

“You wouldn’t, as a small child. They’re intended to be unobtrusive access for servants or paramours and escape routes, unused for a long time.” Kerric had frequented some of the more common servants’ stairways in his youth. Had even kissed a footman or two in the dark confines.

“How do you know of them?”

How much should Kerric say? “I’ve been a castle guard for a long time. My mother worked here before that and sometimes brought me with her. We even lived within these walls for a time.”

“How? You can’t be much older than me.”

Counting time spent as a gargoyle, Kerric had seen nearly forty summers. He’d not aged past twenty-seven, the age he’d been when Miisov cursed him. “Sometimes looks are deceiving. Best to remember that, particularly where magic is involved.” Kerric led the way to the main servants’ staircase, then climbed upward on a whim, Eron following obediently behind.

“Where are we going?” Eron came abreast of Kerric in the wider stairwell, running his fingers along the walls. Kerric had never wanted to be a wall so much in his life.

“You are to see the castle. We’ll start at the top and work our way down.” Kerric finally stepped out onto the ramparts, ensuring no guards were posted. Eron joined him a moment later, standing in the bright moonlight. Kerric set down the lantern, turning his gaze into the glorious night. “This is my favorite spot in the entire castle.” Or it had been before Kerric found himself obligated to stand here night and day. “From this vantage point, you can see much of the kingdom in the daylight.” However, why Kerric still enjoyed the spot baffled him, considering his forced confinement.

Perhaps because he could watch the antics of highwaymen.

Eron stepped up beside Kerric, resting his hands on the waist-high stone wall. “Can you see the forest road from here? Because I could clearly see the castle from the trees.”

“You can, though the foliage hides much. The leaves have already begun to fall. When the trees are bare in winter, I can watch deer meander down paths to the stream or a wolf on the hunt. So much spectacular life beneath those trees.” Those moments of peace had been the only things keeping Kerric from complete despair at times.

Eron ran his hand over the rough stone of the wall. Tactile little thing, wasn’t he? “You sound like you spend a lot of time here.”

More than you’ll ever know.“When I can.”I’ve nothing else to do.

“If you can see for miles from this vantage point, why wasn’t my father warned of the encroaching army?”

Kerric’s guilt stung. “The sentries saw but didn’t report until too late. I believe someone ordered them to silence or paid them. The commander didn’t send the king's most trusted guards to your family to get them to safety in time.” He balled his hands into fists until his nails bit into his palms and barely kept his anger in check. “A betrayer led them right into the hands of the traitorous Bain.” And ensured Kerric kept busy until it was too late to call the alarm.

“A betrayer,” Eron muttered low. “I’ve heard King Bain referred to as a usurper, but if he’s of King Lothan’s line, doesn’t he have a legitimate claim to the throne?”

“As your grandfather’s bastard brother, he does not.”

“Ah. That explains much.”

“Bain felt the line should have passed on to him, regardless of the circumstances of his birth. You see, Bain grew up in the royal household, though he never received a title. Your grandfatherconsidered him a friend. He’d be heartbroken to see what Bain has become, how Bain killed your grandfather’s only legitimate heir.”

Eron remained quiet for a few moments before saying, “Some would do anything for power and wealth.”

Kerric regarded Eron with new interest. “You have no desire for power and wealth?”

“A truly powerful man doesn’t need others to grant him power. It comes from within. And what some consider wealth is actually an anchor holding them down until they drown, never realizing all they have to do is let go.”

“Are you quoting someone?”

Eron nodded, sending his dark waves cascading over his shoulders. “Paraphrasing mostly, something my mentor always said.”

“Tell me of your mentor.”

“Why, so you can arrest her?”

Her? “No, so I can better understand the man you’ve become.”

The stiff set of Eron’s shoulders relaxed. “I believe she’s had disappointment in her life, and I only recently learned she’d lost her one great love at a very young age. She arranged tutors for me, taught me to fight, and even read to me when I was younger.” A fond smile transformed Eron’s suspicious scowl into something of beauty.

“It sounds as though she cared for you a great deal.” At least someone had shown the prince love.

“She does.”

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