Page 15 of Gilded Crown

“Get it out! Get it out of me!” He tripped on the stone path about fifteen feet away and fell on his face.

Another servant ran out with her skirts lifted as she called for him, and the ruddy cook that Jari had seen earlier followed.

“What going on?” asked Aurelius.

The two women ignored him and hovered around Blue who had gotten to his knees.

“Honey,” said the servant as she twisted her hands. “I’m sorry. Can’t we just go inside and talk about it? I swear it was a mistake.”

Aurelius started down the steps just as Blue bashed his head against the stones of the pathway. The woman screamed when he did it again as if the pain meant nothing. Jari was about to risk it and grab Aurelius’s arm to pull him back, but the Prince froze in his tracks.

“For Ymir’s sake,” said the cook.

Jari ran forward to grab Blue’s arm and yank him up before he could introduce his forehead to the stones another time. “What the fuck?”

“I didn’t mean to kiss him!” The servant burst into tears and put her hands to her face.

“What-” Jari let go as Blue bared his teeth and snarled.

“Get it out of me! You put this in my head. It’s your fault.” Blue wobbled as blood trickled down his forehead and down one side of his nose. Strands near his temples were plastered down with sweat.

Both of his eyes had streaks of gold and very little brown left. Jari stepped back. “Aurelius, go inside.”

“What did you do?” Aurelius yelled at Blue.

Blue breathed heavily as he flexed his fingers and swiped at the blood running down his face. “You did this to me. You all did. You put it in my head, and you won’t let me go!”

“How about if you come in for a mom-” started Jari.

Blue suddenly darted for the gate. The two guards by it had been watching from afar, and they started to come forward. One said something, but Jari didn’t catch it.

“I kissed another man, and he’s furious at me,” said the servant. She wiped her eyes. “He found out somehow. I didn’t really mean to!”

“This isn’t because he’s mad at you!” shouted Jari. “What happened?”

“He was on the stairs. He knew, and that's why he was avoiding me.”

This wasn't some spat. The guards obviously knew Blue at least by face since plenty would go home in the city at night after their shift. They hadn’t drawn their weapons, and one guard raised his hands in a placating gesture. Jari ran toward them because he wasn’t sure if Blue was about to gild someone. Could he? His eyes had huge streaks of gold.

“Why don’t we take you in to sit down for a moment, and you can tell me what’s wrong,” said one of the guards. “My friend here will get Saran-”

Blue let out a blood-curdling scream in the man’s face before he hauled off and decked him. The guard swore and clutched his nose as Blue ran past him. The old guy wasn’t about to chase anyone, and when he yelled for Blue, the servant ignored him.

“Fuck.” Jari pumped his legs as he gave chase, and Blue hauled ass through the gate.

Someone shouted behind Jari. Part of him wanted to get his horse, but by the time he had it saddled and ready, who knew what Blue would do? A pair of ladies were coming up the road arm-in-arm toward the Palace gates. A man who was possibly a relative followed, and they stopped dead at the sight of a servant hurtling toward them.

If Blue gilded someone, how were Jari and Aurelius going to explain or hide that from everyone?

When Blue was about ten feet away, he snarled. The courtiers scattered, and the ladies screamed. Blue didn’t seem intent on chasing them and kept going down the road. Jari thought he was a decent runner, but Blue was running like the hangman was after him. Jari was already sweating under his courtly clothes, and his heart pounded as he struggled to catch up.

Blue didn’t look behind him even though he must have realized he was being chased. The actual city started about a half-mile from the gate, and Jari pushed himself. Just a few more feet.

Blue didn’t stop or even look as he passed dangerously close in front of a horse that reared in panic. Jari had to jump back. The horse’s hooves slammed on the cobblestones as it neighed and tossed his head.

“Watch where the fuck you’re going!” the rider shouted as he tried to calm his mount.

“Sorry!”

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