Page 225 of The Sins of Silas

I narrowed my eyes at him, the rain just beginning to dampen his hair. I deepened my glare when he started to walk over, but he seemed determined, as his expression remained strong.

He stopped in front of me, his eyes cast downward to meet my glare. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

“What do you want?” I muttered.

His jaw snapped shut, but just for a second. His arms slacked at his sides. “Look, I know you’ve gone through some awful things,” he began, and I tightened my fists. “I know it hurts. Butuse that pain and turn it into something meaningful.” His nose wrinkled as he grimaced at me. “Sulking like this won’t do shit.”

My mouth fell open. In all the years I’d known Roland, he had hardly uttered a word to me, too intimidated by my title. He was close with Edmund and Hendry but never showed his authentic or playful side to me.

Nor whateverthisside was.

“I am not sulking,” I snapped.

He crossed his arms, a half-smile pulling on his lips. “This is the definition of sulking, Silas.”

Sulking…

I wanted to be angry at his disrespect, but he had no idea the torture I was enduring behind the scenes. It had only been three months since Mother and Lena had died…and nearly three months of constant lashings. My back burned so fucking badly right now.

Use that pain and turn it into something meaningful.

Thunder roared in the distance, the rain picking up. It soaked his brown hair, but he remained planted where he was.

“What meaningful thing would you suggest I do?” I asked him, leaning my head against the wall.

His hazel eyes trailed over me, and he shrugged. “I don’t know. You got any hobbies?”

I raised a brow. “Hobbies?”

“Yeah, surely the Prince has time to have fun every now and again?”

I thought about it. I couldn't even remember the last time I had fun. I really only did when I was with Lena.

Roland’s smile fell when he noticed me struggling to name one single hobby. “You like music?”

I scoffed. “Everyone likes music.”

Roland chuckled. “I play piano down at Hidden Rhythm. You should come. Tonight.”

I frowned. That lounge was located in the Inner Ring. Now that I had freedom, I could go.

“See you there?” he prodded.

I blinked. “I'll consider it,” I mumbled.

His smile grew, and he inclined his drenched face, heading inside the castle.

Roland sat at the piano at Hidden Rhythm later that night. I almost didn't come, but his words compelled me. I dressed in more casual clothes, a hat over my head in the hopes of being unrecognized. Had I left out the castle's front doors, guards would've followed me. But today, I decided to use the pathway I'd taken to see Lena so many times before.

I felt sick the whole walk here thinking of her.

People all around the lounge began to quiet their mumbling as Roland's tanned hands trailed over the keys, his eyes fluttering shut. He was still for only a moment before his fingers began dancing along the white and black.

The song was beautiful, so much so that chills spread across my body once the tune began. Roland wore a faint smile as he played, eyes occasionally glancing up at his sheet music.

He was actually pretty damn good.

It was so complex, the beat picking up, but he didn’t miss a single note. It was…melancholic, somehow, the song he played.

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