Page 26 of Dead Crown
Edur shook his head. “No, never.”
“Has Mother ever spoken of putting you on the throne?”
“No. That’s your position.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. Everyone knows it’s yours. We-” Edur cut off.
“What?” Tivar narrowed his eyes.
“We didn’t think it’d be so soon. Father was supposed to return.” Edur’s eyes stung. A future without him seemed impossible.
“Listen to me. Has Mother ever mentioned me not being her son?”
“Why would she ever say such a thing?”
Tivar rubbed his chin. “The Crown is at the Castle near Lilling. I know where it’s hidden. Elswere wrote to me, and he swore that I couldn’t take it. He said I’m not the real heir. You are.”
Edur’s mouth opened slightly as he struggled to take that in. How could Tivar not be the real heir? He was older.
“Elswere says I’m not even a bastard. I share no blood with the family, I’m adopted, and I must give up the throne. If I take it, the lands will die.”
Edur knew that just like any other fairy, but Elswere had made a ridiculous claim. Tivar wasn't adopted. None of it made any sense whatsoever, and how would his Uncle write to Tivarwhen he was in prison? Father said he had committed treason, and Edur didn’t understand how.
He swallowed. “Elswere’s in prison. How could he even wri-”
“He’s not. He escaped, and he sent me a dove.” Tivar shook his head as he looked away.
“How-”
“According to Elswere, Father kept this a secret from everyone else. Mother gave birth to a boy who was dead, and she passed out from blood loss. Father had the baby’s body hidden, and he took me from a homeless lady as a replacement so Mother wouldn’t be sad. I'm a cat fairy and look close enough…This whole time…” Tivar covered his face with one hand. “Maybe he told her later, and she hid it from us. I’m not sure.”
He stood to pace in the tiny cabin while Edur gaped at him, trying to absorb the revelation. “You have to be King. Father said-”
Tivar whirled on him. “Not only do I have no relation to the male line, I don’t even share blood with you through Mother. I’m not a Cleel at all! I’ve spent my whole life thinking I was, and imagining I’d have the throne one day, and now Uncle says this.”
Edur struggled to comprehend everything while Tivar paced. “But…can’t you still be my brother?”
Tivar rushed to sit next to Edur. “Of course, I’ll still be your brother. You trust me, right?”
“Y-yes.”
“Elswere wrote that we should put you on the throne, and he’ll do the main work of ruling while you grow older. I know he wants to take it for himself, and he was already in prison for treason. I don’t know how it happened or who helped him to escape. It means he has others on his side who will help him take everything.”
Edur didn’t fully understand that, and Father hadn’t wished to discuss what treasonous action had happened. “What do we do? We should ask Mother when we see her-”
“No, I’ll take care of this,” said Tivar. “If Mother knew and said nothing to me…I’m the King now anyway, so all decisions are mine to make.”
Edur shook his head as he thought of the old story and rule that everyone knew. “I’ll be the King to save Iceland.”
“No. The Crown must go to the oldest.”
“But if I’m the only blood child of Reesing…We can’t let the land die. You said you're not-”
“Even though I’m not blood, I thought I was. Isn’t it fair if I rule after I spent my life being raised for it? I think it’s fair since I grew up thinking I was the Crown Prince. You can’t think it’s right if I’m suddenly pushed aside.”
Edur swallowed. He’d learned quite recently how life wasn’t fair. Otherwise, Father would be alive. “It’s not right, but Iceland will die without the real King. The people will suffer, and-”
