Page 121 of The Nymph Prince
I moved around the camp, checking in with the warriors. Then, I overheard a group of men.
“Does the king march with us?” one asked.
“No. He’ll stay in his precious palace while we fight in his name,” the other answered.
“You’re wrong,” the first one said, adjusting the leather strap on his chest. “We do not fight in his name. We fight in Prince Lorcan’s. He is our true leader.”
“Long live the prince.”
Their words should’ve angered me, for they were speaking ill of the king. However, I found comfort in them.
It reminded me of what Dathan had told me. The people obeyed my father out of fear and out of respect for the crown, but they followed me out of loyalty. The king ruled with his might while I ruled with my heart.
Both had their disadvantages.
I stepped away from the tree and found Troy. He was vigorously talking, moving his hands around in the way he always did when he was excited. Malik watched him with a smile. I doubted the guard even heard what my friend was saying.
I looked at the warriors next.
A blond warrior ruffled the hair of a shorter man.
“Theron!” the smaller man whined. He must’ve only been nineteen or so. Definitely not old enough to have seen battle. “Stop.”
“You will never be too big for me to pester, little brother,” Theron replied.
My heart ached at the sight. How many of us would return home?
Was it a mistake to push us into this war?
I’d thought it would spare my people in the long run if we made an alliance with King James and defeated the dark mages.
Had it doomed us instead?
***
The crackling fire relaxed me. We’d marched all day and into the evening. Along with my tense muscles and sore feet, my mind was jumbled. Fear clawed beneath the surface of my skin. I didn’t let it show, of course. I had to be strong for my men. The chill was there, though, ever present and haunting.
Yet, the heat of the flames helped chase away some of the cold in my body.
The fire reminded me of Alek—of the nights we’d spent sitting around it and talking.
I missed him. It was the longest we’d been apart since the day I’d carried him away from the battle at sea. I hadn’t even known his name then, only that I was drawn to him. We’d sat beside many fires during that first week. He hadn’t trusted me and I hadn’t fully trusted him, either.
We’d come far in our relationship, building it stone by stone.
I wondered if he was sitting around a fire right then, too, miles from me. I sensed his life force and his heart was beating steadily.
If he died, would I feel it?
“He will be fine,” Troy said, linking our fingers and resting his head on my shoulder.
“How did you know I was thinking of him?”
“Because I know you.” His light-brown hair tickled my cheek as he snuggled in closer. “You have this need to protect everyone, Lor, but you have to realize that Alek is a lot stronger than you think. Eva told me that she’s never met anyone like him before.”
I looked at Eva.
She was beside Malik, looking at the cuts on his arm that he’d gotten from our journey. They were minor, but she’d still insisted on treating them. He grumbled and told her she was being silly, but she slapped his shoulder and told him to be quiet.
