Page 19 of Once Upon a Crown
We made our way to the stables, where the stable boy took the horses, and Lance helped me inside the palace. I didn’t want to be carried by the Prince of Everness, but I could barely walk on my own. We reached my room, and he placed me on the bed.
“I’ll call for a physician.”
“That really isn’t necessary.” I just needed a warm bath and for one of the servants to wrap my ankle.
“Yes,” Lance insisted. “It is.”
His eyes remained on me until I couldn’t take it any longer and finally asked, “What?”
“Nothing.” The prince gave me his most devilish smile. “It’s just that you’ve still got dirt on your face.”
Chapter 9
Cai
I was in the forest.
Moss covered the earth in a quilt of green while my ears took in the cheerful melody of a bird somewhere high up in the branches.
The air was filled with warmth. Winter had not yet clawed its way to wherever I was. My surroundings were unfamiliar to me.
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” A voice rose from behind me. One I could easily recognise anywhere.
I turned to face Thatcher, immediately reaching for my sword, but I was surprised to find nothing there.
Thatcher carried a smug expression. It was one I’d often seen him with, but never thought it would be in reaction to my downfall.
My oldest friend had betrayed me.
“Too bad you have nothing to protect you now.” He was right. I had no weapon but at least I was not outmanned.
My hands clenched into fists. Although I had no recollection of how or why I was there, I had only one thought — I had to stop him.
I ran forward without hesitance, but Thatcher made no attempt to move. I was about to tackle him to the ground when my arms wrapped around nothing but air, and Thatcher disappeared.
My eyes searched the trees for a trace of him. Thatcher stood a few feet away, his expression unchanged.
“Why don’t you just give up, Cai? We both knew you were never going to make it as a king anyway.”
Every word that left his mouth increased my anger.
“How could you?” I shouted, my voice echoing through the forest. “You were like my brother. How could you betray your family?”
He shrugged. “I had to do what was best for the kingdom. Gwen will learn to forgive me. She will see that you would have driven Norrandale to the ground.”
I was going to kill him.
“Here.” Thatcher pulled out a knife and tossed it on the ground before me. “I’ll make it easier on you.”
I stepped over the knife towards him. “This has to end, Thatcher.” I need you to stop haunting me, was what I didn’t say.
“Does it?”
Once more I ran at him, but he vanished into thin air just before I could reach him. This time, when I turned, Thatcher was no longer alone.
My mother was on her knees next to him as he held her by her hair. My blood ran cold. Some part of my mind knew she was already dead, that Thatcher had already killed her, but seeing her in front of me, alive and breathing, caused all rationality to escape me.
“Let her go.” I put my hands up in surrender. “Let her go and you can have anything you want.”
