Page 20 of The Knight
“It is my duty and my honor, Lamont; you know this.”
“I know how hard it must be, so hard being without Ana.”
I tried to stop those memories from making me feel the despair that I so longed to be freed from.
“Everyday, I think of her,” I whispered into the evening air.
“I know, and I wish I could bring her back from the Ancients.”
“What is done is done, Lamont, and I have come to be at peace with it.”
“Have you?”
“I believe—” I started, but Lamont cut me off.
“Sometimes, we get a second chance in life. The Ancients and I are giving you that second chance. I wouldn’t have asked you this if I didn’t think it would bring you great happiness. We are here, stuck, and we might as well be happy. You are the truest and best friend that I have ever had, Rykerian Dallard.”
“I thank you; I do not deserve your friendship.”
“Yes, you do.” He turned to look at me then, and I wondered, not for the first time, how an heir could regard me so highly. “You are more a brother to me than Tarick ever was,” he smirked.
I laughed.
“What? It is true, isn't it? That idiot tried to kill me.”
“I thank you, Lamont,” I said, bowing my head; he slapped a hand on my back and smiled.
“All will be well again, Kerian; you shall see. We can be happy here.” As the memory of that night faded, I heard Emma’s melody as loud and as pure as ever also fade into that long-ago night.
As the bell rang out, I packed up my backpack and raced from my last class. I walked down the hallway to meet Emma out front. The sight of Prince Shad and Emma together made mesick, but I tried to endure it for her sake. I knew she was growing fond of him, and whatever he had done to weasel his way into her life was working, and it was making her happy. I did not want to be the bad guy who didn’t want her to have other friends and act all jealous—or at least, I tried really hard not to be that guy. That was a low thing to do, after all.
“Have any plans this weekend?” I heard Shad ask as I waited outside their classroom. I was partly hidden by a beam, for which I was then thanking the Ancients.
“Yeah, I’m hanging out with Ryker this weekend. You?” She asked, and I smiled so wide. That was probably not the answer he was hoping for. I wanted to unshield my melody in order to hear his feelings at that moment, but I didn’t want to risk him sensingmymelody. I may have been able to do it undetected, but I didn't want to risk it, especially with my emotions being heightened as they were at that moment.
“Hanging out with Keil, then work. Have a good weekend. See you on Monday,” Shad said.
It was silent for a bit, and I moved from behind the pillar and walked up to Emma. Shad was long gone, just another shape in the crowd of students on their way home from school. I was smiling like the biggest idiot.
“Ready?” I asked, moving to her side. I chuckled as she jumped, surprised that I was there.
“Yep,” she said.
I took her hand, her warmth flooding my insides and led us through the mass of students in the parking lot. We usually walked home. I didn’t drive a car to school as our homes were only minutes away by foot. Shad, of course, had a car because—well, he was annoying. But for me? I wasn’t as pretentious as he was. He was a prince after all, and princes just think—I paused in my thinking—well there was one prince who didn’t think he was the ruler of the realms—Lamont. I tried to swallow thatthought down without wanting to cry. I was too soft. This realm was making me way too soft—and different. “So, my parents aren't home, so we have some privacy.”
“Okay, yeah. I heard you at lunch, but why do we need privacy?” She looked at me, raising her eyebrows.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen you in a while?” I shrugged. Honestly, I just wanted to kiss her, but I couldn't do that, not then. I mean, I could have, but the ramifications would have been too costly. It wasn't the right time—as much as I wanted it to be.
“Okay, so what are we going to do?” she asked.
I tried hard not to be like the humans on my football team—I think they were rubbing off on me because I just thought again about kissing her, and holding her in my arms—I needed to cool it.
“Watch a movie?” I said, trying to keep my thoughts contained.
“Another movie, really—don’t you get tired of that? That is what we did for two weeks nonstop right after you got home from your trip,” Emma whined.
“What? I thought you liked watching movies with me.” I gave her a frown. I loved watching movies with her. She always sat so close to me, leaned her head on my shoulder. And—the couple of times when she fell asleep in my arms—that was heaven, as they would say on Earth.
