Page 19 of Crown of Hearts
“Don’t play games with me, brother. You and I both know you always have ulterior motives.”
“Oh, am I brother now?” He raised a dark eyebrow. “When exactly did you decide that you want to invest in our family? Was it before or after you were crowned?”
“We share the same blood, and I can call you my brother — it does not mean I have to care for or respect you.”
“True.” He pursed his lips for a moment. “If you did respect me, you wouldn’t have locked me in a cell without the decency to come and visit.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me about decency,” I cried. “You used me for your personal gain. You are the last person in this kingdom who deserves any respect. Uncle Arthur is dead because you were too much of a coward to put an end to the rebellion, and now I’m left to clean up your messes.”
“Perhaps.” Lance tilted his head, inspected me. “So why did you come to see me? Other than to remind me what a terrible creature I am.”
“Terrible is too good a word.” I sighed, looking away for a moment. I could still walk away while nothing had been said. The bandit in me wanted to take the easy way out. “But I’m here because I need your help.”
The smugness in Lance’s expression could not be mistaken. “You must be very desperate to come to me for help.”
I took a deep breath before answering.
“Then you should understand the severity of the situation,” I said through clenched teeth.
Lance lifted an index finger. “I have only one question.”
I looked into his eyes, wondering what was going on in his head, wondering what advantage he would try to gain from this. “Yes?”
“Why the hell would I help you?” It was not what I wanted to hear. It took enough trying to convince myself to come down here in the first place. I wasn’t going to grovel or beg.
“You said that you would do anything for your family. Well, look around.” I gestured with my arms. “I’m all that’s left here. I’ve taken the responsibility that you didn’t want, because if I don’t, Everness could have another civil war.” I stepped in front of him now and hesitated, hating what I was about to say but knowing it might be the only thing to convince him. “You were right about us.”
“Us?” He taunted me with the very word I hated to say. There would never be anusas far as I was concerned but, in this moment, I needed him more than I wanted to admit. After that he could rot in prison for the rest of eternity for all I cared.
“You and I. We do what we must to survive.” I reminded him of the words he spoke during our stay at Woodsbrook Manor. “No matter what it takes.”
“Well.” He nodded in thought. “I can’t argue with myself.”
* * *
Lance looked like his old self again when I met him later in one of the studies. He was clean and neatly dressed, his hair cut, and his scruff gone.
“Took you long enough.” I put down the book I had pretended to be reading. I got bored sitting still for so long but was too nervous and agitated to actually do anything.
“Well, all this doesn’t just happen by itself, you know.” Lance smirked, gesturing to himself. “Good things take time.”
“I would advise you not to waste mine.”
“Hey—” he raised his hands — “I’m here now.”
“You should be thanking me for letting you out of prison.” I stood up from the chair I’d occupied.
Lance didn’t reply. Only crossed his arms, awaiting an explanation from me.
Perhaps this whole affair would have been easier if I didn’t have to look him in the eye for the entire duration of the conversation.
“There was an attack.”
“I heard. That doesn’t mean you need me, though. You have guards for that.”
I probably should have asked just how Lance knew what was going on outside the prison, but I figured the less I knew about his scheming and twisted ways, the better.
I pressed my lips into a line and went to stand by the window, where I could see the city of Levernia in the distance. The Evernean Forest bordered the palace grounds and the city, while beyond lay rolling green hills with the promise of freedom. I looked out longingly as one of the palace hunters emerged from the stretch of woods. Dead pheasants were hanging over his shoulder. Had it really not been that long ago that Ray and I would help hunt for the camp? My heart ached.
