Page 4 of Gilded Crown

It made sense because feverish people could forget where they were, strip off their clothes because they were too hot, and wander off. Back then, Aurelius had also looked like someone who had been quite sick with his bony body. Also, everyone acted like Aurelius had been deathly ill and in total isolation for two years.

If he wasn’t lying…the Zorians had picked at border places, and they must have gotten lucky to catch a Crown Prince who happened to be alone at the worst possible time. Whoever took Aurelius had probably beaten and tortured him while trying to get him to use his ability.

He’d somehow escaped and wandered, lost and alone, only to have more trauma layered upon him.

Who knew what the Zorians did to him? There was probably a reason why Zylem had made certain nasty comments. He must have known about some part of it, although maybe he didn’t have details and just plucked at things to toss as insults. Still, heknew his older brother had been gone and in a bad place for a while to say the least.

That meant Aurelius wasn’t lying about being taken prisoner. Since Jari had never heard so much as a whisper of the Novan Crown Prince being held captive, that meant his Father must not have done anything. He hadn’t invaded Zoria or even made notices to search for his son.

Fuck. Aurelius had eventually been taken home to a family that wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire. In his stiff way, he was begging for help because while he was home again now, he was still in danger, completely alone, and abandoned.

Jari had ignored his plea, and it wasn’t the first time either.

“Fuck.” He was tempted to throw the smoothing stone, the board, anything. Something to vent the frustration and hate toward himself in the chest. He’d given his word, broken it, and turned his back on someone. Again. If he stayed there in the workshop and pretended that visit never happened, it would eat at him.

Aurelius was a snake, and he’d come with the sole intent to guilt Jari and twist the knife. That much was obvious, but the rest couldn’t be denied. Snake or not, Aurelius was still the best chance for Nova and the Royal Family, and he was fighting something in his head that Jari couldn’t truly understand.

He could stay and keep himself away from the snake den. Some would say it was fair. Others would say he was a piece of shit for breaking his word to both Aurelius and Mother. She hadn’t wanted him to turn into his Father. He clenched his fist on the work counter and pictured Mother shaking her head at him.

Along with the pleading blue eye of a Prince who was no longer seventeen but still desperate and alone.

***

The owner of the carpenter shop lived upstairs, and he squinted at Jari coming down the hall. “The problem with being a carpenter is you get busy taking care of what other people want and forget your own home.”

Jari managed to quirk up one side of his mouth as he glanced at the baseboards. “Yeah. It looks good.”

“Thankfully, I’m almost finished now.”

“Uh…The Crown Prince came by.”

“What? He did?”

“Yeah. Erm, he wants me to come back.”

“He got rid of you. He didn’t need you anymore, right?”

“It’s…complicated.” Jari wasn’t about to explain certain things.

The owner huffed. “Let me guess. He wants another guy to use cheap. He probably phrased an order as a pleasant request, which means you better hustle your ass down there or we’ll all be in trouble.”

“Yeah…you know how royalty is.”

“Pompous pricks.”

“I mean, he might change his mind. You know how they are. I could get up there only to be sent back.” Truly, since he’d refused, Aurelius might kick him back out to be an arse in return. “If I don't come back…”

“I get it. Hopefully, you can come back because you do nice work. If not, I’ll know why. Good luck with that job.”

“Thanks.”

“You can come back anytime.”

Chapter Two

Jari, with his nicest clothes that hadn’t seen much wear, had gotten inside without a long wait while someone went to ask the Prince. The elderly gate guard, who’d probably have a heart attack if the city was ever overrun, had surprisingly recognized him and told him to come right on in.

Thank Elira for that because Jari hadn’t recognized him. The old guy must have been one of the few to remain since he was too old to do much besides stand somewhere and tell someone if they could enter or not.

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