Page 40 of The Devil In Blue
Smiles were rare. I couldn’t remember the last time I truly smiled. Practiced smiles were one thing. Genuine ones were rare. It felt… good.
“Tomorrow, I can make you something new,” he said. “We’ll find your favorite food soon enough.”
“Today, it is this,” I gestured at the empty plate.
Another bout of silence fell over us. I thought he might have to leave me soon. Being a servant of the palace probably came with many responsibilities. But if he left me, what would I do? Explore the grounds more?
“What is it you like to do, Briar?” Petris asked.
I shrugged. “I used to play music. And I painted. Anything that keeps my mind calm, I suppose.”
“Were you told to keep your mind calm or was it a choice?”
“Nothing is a choice,” I chuckled.
It was a disturbing thought. One that had bothered me for so long that it was now just amusing. But Petris wasn’t amused. His lack of response made me pause.
“Everything is a choice,” he said softly, an air of frustration in his words.
“Well, I do enjoy reading. Escapism is my greatest joy. Stories with action. Love. Horror. All of it, really. Lucien worried books would cloud my mind and make me skew reality. He worried it would inspire defiance or violent outbursts.”
“But he allowed you to read anyways?”
“Occasionally. He liked me reading educational books, mostly. Religious texts.”
“But you like the stories.”
“I always have.”
He lowered his head for a beat and cleared his throat. “I know you might not want to hear this,” he said gently. “But so did she.”
I stiffened, my expression frozen in time when I heard that. When it processed, I felt my fingers go cold and squeezed them together against my skirt to keep warm.
“She,” I muttered. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
I dropped my gaze, biting my lip. “For referring to her as a different person. Do you believe that she is?”
“I don’t know what I believe, my lady. Briar. We’re all as confused as you are. In a different way, perhaps, but still so very puzzled.”
“You knew her, then?”
“I did.”
“What was she like?”
“Demanding. Fiery. She challenged the king like no one else could. Made him feel alive. And for someone like Rune, feeling alive is so very important.”
“Was she like him?”
“Not at all. She stumbled from the Labyrinth, but things were different between them. She chose to stay and he allowed it.”
“Stumbled from the Labyrinth? What do you mean?”
“Sometimes, a soul stumbles out of the mist. It doesn’t often turn out too well for them. Lucky for her, Rune found her. He could have tossed her back and let her wander away to find another path, but he kept her instead. Fate is tricky sometimes, and he believed she was his fate. She lit up an otherwise dark eternity for the king. She brought life to this place. When you cannot die, you forget that you can live. You can forget the joys existence can bring. The sorrows. All the things that make a soul. And the man who governs the realm in betweenmustunderstand what makes a soul or he would not care to guide them. He would see no point in protecting their journeys.”
“She was human, then.”
