Page 108 of The King's Queen

- Chapter 43–

Chapter44

Rowan

Silent tears slip down my mother’s face as she finishes the memory, pieces of the day coming back to my mind now. My heart aches as if Irene had split it open all those years ago, and my brain is just now telling me to feel the pain.

“Your father loved us more than anything.” Her voice breaks as she whispers. “But he died that day. An evil now wears his skin, chasing after your father’s final desire.”

She doesn’t have to say it for me to know what she means. All those times we had to move from town to town, never being able to leave Krycolis for fear of the border guards recognizing us. The king is still searching for us, to ‘protect’ us, as was his final wish before he died.

Any strength I once prided myself on having crumbles as my throat constricts. He died for us. He died for me.

“I was working with Vera so I could sneak in and kill him,” I blurt out. “I was going to kill him, but I was a coward.”

Emilie’s eyes shine with the very few unshed tears she has left. Her hand rests atop mine, and she squeezes.

“I know. Aiko told me.” I laugh softly. Of course, she did. “That would have been a mercy to him, but it would have killed you. You don’t have to save everyone. Sometimes you just need to live for you and the ones you love.”

“How can you say that? You loved him, you might be the only person who did.”

“Love is like anything else. It can die. It can be replaced.” She smiles sadly. “Soulmates don’t exist, my littleNoiteron. Love is a choice, and sometimes you have to choose one love over the other.”

She grips my arm tightly with her small hands. The corners of her eyes crinkle. Eyes that match my own. Laughter lines in a world like this.

“And I chose you. I will always choose you.”

Something Vera said to me infiltrates my mind, the dread seeping in like water in a deep cave. Slowly it seeps through the cracks until it’s all consuming.

Maybe you’re her new light.

My mother made her choice, now I must make mine. I need to get my light back.

“Kya.”

Amír steps through the doorway instead, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. “You don’t even have to ask. She left over an hour ago.”

I’m already strapping my leathers on and reaching for my sword by the time Amír’s lips part for a breath. My mother watches with a knowing, and if I dare say it,proudsmile.

“I’ll be back, Mom,” I promise solemnly. “I-“

BANG.

Kya’s eyes are wide as she bursts through the door, a tremor of the earth chasing her the rest of the way into the compound. Amír swears loudly. It’s not earthquake season.

“What’s going on?”

“She’s not there.”

My heart stops dead in my chest; my mother’s eyes drill holes in my back. Verosa. I just left her there, and now she’s gone.

“Where is she?” I rush forward gripping my assassin’s shoulders, perhaps far too tightly. “Where. Is. She.”

“Gone, but Rowan… There wasso muchblood.” She swallows thickly. “Goldenblood.”

I never knew it was possible until now to feel the earth fall out from beneath my feet. I left her there.I left her.

“I tracked them as far as I could. I overheard one of the maids tell the other that she saw the king and that prince, Lucius, bringing a large number of guards to the tallest tower. No one was allowed to enter, but they saw a weird light and purple flames.” Emilie swears softly in recognition. “The maid took off running for the tower, and I followed until they closed the door. I tried to get through but there was this magic, and I heard her call Vera’s name and something about a sacrifice but then…”

---