Page 108 of The Forsaken Heir
Cassius pointed at the book in Vincent’s hands.Fahrenheit 451. “The author. It wasn’t long after his third book was published. I spoke with him for several hours in a bar in downtown Seattle after a book tour. A brilliant man. As a dragon, I’ve always had a soft spot for that book. We live in a world of fire, don’t you think, Vincent?”
“Huh,” Vincent said. “I guess so. I don’t breathe fire much, though. Not unless I need to. It tastes like charcoal in my throat. I don’t like the flavor.”
Cassius let out a hearty laugh, so I decided to step into the room rather than keep eavesdropping. The king turned when he saw me, and his smile grew warmer.
“Well, well, well, Vincent. It appears we’ve been graced by the lovely Brielle. Could two men ask for more than to have a beautiful woman to talk to, a cozy room to sit in, and books to read?”
“A hamburger would be nice too,” Vincent said, and Cassius broke into laughter again.
I sat down. “I liked hearing you read, Vince.”
Vince quickly closed the book, his cheeks going red. “Uh. Yeah. I’m going to head out.”
Before I could tell him not to go, he jumped up, mumbled a goodbye under his breath, and hurried out the door. I frowned. Had I offended him?
“He’s a good boy,” Cassius said.
“Did I upset him?”
Cassius shook his head sadly. “No. He’s always had a hard time with his public speaking. I’ve been tutoring him by having him read out loud. His father has no patience for it, so I took it upon myself.”
I stared at the man across from me. He was the king of a hidden kingdom whose people were on the verge of a devastating war, and his enemies had taken his son hostage, yet he still took the time to tutor Vincent.
Cassius gave me a rueful smile. “You think I have more important things to worry about than helping an autistic boy learn the ways of a nobleman?”
Now it was my turn to blush. I averted my eyes and muttered, “I didn’t say that, Your Majesty.”
Cassius let out a small bark of a laugh. “You didn’t have to. Why do you think we came here to this old library? Vincent wasn’t the only one who wanted to be away from prying eyes. Sometimes duty is exhausting.”
“Heavy is the head?” I asked with a grin.
“That wears the crown. Indeed,” Cassius agreed. “Since…uh…since Aurelius was taken hostage, I’ve had nothing but meetings and strategy sessions. I swear if I have to hear Titus or Benedictus tell me what we need to do one more time, I’llscream. I wanted some time alone, Vincent needed practice—therefore it made sense for us to do that together.
“What Itrulywonder,” the king continued, “is howyoucame to be here. Did you get turned around? Not many people venture this far into the old castle. Most prefer the newer wings we built in the early twentieth century.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Actually, Titus sent me here.”
Cassius sighed and put his hand to his forehead. “He didn’t send you to find me for another meeting, did he?”
“No, nothing like that. I came for some peace and quiet too.”
“Oh, good. Like I said, I can’t handle more of that. I need to mentally recharge first.” Cassius glanced out the window, then back at me. “Would you like to take a walk outside? There’s an old exit we could use. We won’t have to see anyone.”
I thought about saying no. I had come here to be alone, not talk with the king. But he was sad, stressed, and in need of a friendly ear. Plus, my family had taken his son. Although I was in love with Aurelius, the connection between us was far newer and not as strong as the bond between father and son. Besides, it would be rude to refuse the company of the king.
“Sure. Some fresh air sounds great.”
Cassius led me to a door at the rear of the castle, near where the young dragons had been born back when the numbers of their kind were higher. Heavy metal slide bolts and some type of spell held the door shut. Cassius waved the royal seal of his ring over the lock, and it unlatched with asnap.
Outside, the cool wind flipped my hair up, sending a chilly breeze across the back of my neck. Thankfully, I was wearing a thick, cable-knit sweater, otherwise I would have been uncomfortable. Cassius, on the other hand, was at home with the cold, his dragon metabolism keeping him warm against the frigid air.
We walked through the manicured grounds at the rear of the estate in silence for several minutes before Cassius finally spoke.
“I’m sorry you can’t return home.”
“Huh?” I frowned in confusion. Why on earth would I want to go back to my parents?
“Your apartment in the city,” he explained as he plucked a maple leaf from a tree. “We discussed it, but we felt it was simply too dangerous right now. I don’t want you to feel like a prisoner here, but it’s the best way we can keep you safe.”
