Page 58 of Degradation

Brandle gave a dry laugh.

“She ordered the royal descendants’ amulets removed to cast a spell of protection on them, stating it was so none would hurt the innocent in retaliation for what the parents had caused.

“I can still hear her voice. ‘You and your brothers will remain small men in a large world for the rest of your lives, so you understand what it feels like to be looked down upon. You will have no privilege, and no one will ever love you.’”

My heart thudded painfully as I understood that the tale he was telling wasn’t the fall of the Kingdom of Turre; it was the fall of his parents, of his family, and of their rule.

“She made a show of giving us our amulets back before ordering the King and Queen to pay for their crimes. Though he was only an infant, I held Liam to my chest so he wouldn’t see and bade Edmund to cover Eadric’s eyes. Henry turned Darian and Daemon away while holding Garron then covered my eyes so we wouldn’t see our parents hanging in the courtyard to the cheers of their subjects.

“As they died, the caster swore to be a Fair Queen. She vowed to rule justly. No one contested her. Not the court officials who’d been loyal to our parents for decades, nor the people the King and Queen had devoted their lives to protect.

“The crowdscheered. And in the chaos, Henry slipped away with us. He was wise to do so. Wiser still to not attempt to hide us in town after bidding farewell to Pogwid, even though, as children, we wouldn’t have been recognizable.

“He led us into the Dark Forest and worked tirelessly to create a safe place for us. And there, we waited for the one who would love us and break our curse so we could return and reclaim what is ours.”

Stunned, I sat in silence.

Royal descendants.

I loved the damned Princes of Turre.

My thoughts spun. I remembered the way Andrew fell to his knees and Sarah’s weeping. The secrecy of the gems—enough to ransom a kingdom.

Liam is meeting with potential friends.

The building began to shake, and the air vibrated with colorful energy.

“What part has you upset, Sparrow? That our parents were taken from us? That we still carry hate for the vile woman responsible? Or that we hid who we are from you?”

Brandle grunted in pain, and his arms slowly opened against his will.

Free from his hold, I stood, shaking in my anger.

Eadric watched me, the only one of them who wasn’t feeling fear or desperation.

“You used me,” I whispered. “This is why we had to return? To regain your kingdom? What of my sister, Eadric?”

“Ah, Lamb,” Daemon said. His sorrow and regret swirled around me. It provoked the emotions already boiling out of my well, and the air sparkled brighter.

“We have no desire to rule this kingdom,” Eadric said. “Our only desire is to remove the caster who killed so many, including our parents and Sarah and Andrew’s small children. Once we do, we can free the strong casters who are in hiding, like Pogwid, and return with you to Drisdall to free your sister. However, in order to remove the queen, we need to find those hidden casters. It’s a time-consuming dilemma.”

His sincerity rang true with each word.

“But Brandle just said?—“

“I said what we’ve been taught,” Brandle said, his arms still open wide. “Henry gave his life to keep us safe so we might one day reclaim the throne. But if we must choose between the throne and you, Kellen, we choose you.”

I recalled all the times he’d said something similar. Trembling, I tried to breathe through the chaotic storm roiling inside of me and replace the lid. What I felt refused to be quelled, though.

“Will you allow me to help?” Eadric said.

I nodded and watched him close the distance between us. His kiss was the light in the darkness that I needed. It soothed the rawness inside of me, and his love for me allowed me to cover my unruly well. Slowly, those boiling emotions calmed.

When Eadric pulled away to tenderly kiss the tip of my nose, the air was once again lifeless, as it was meant to be.

“Does this mean you’ve forgiven us?” he asked.

“You didn’t betray my trust. So there’s nothing to forgive,” I said.

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