Page 36 of Gilded Crown

“An insane one.” Jari yanked out the arrows, dropped them, and checked behind them again as the horse trotted. “Youthought of clever spaces. Zylem thought dumb, and it worked. I’m sorry. I hid behind an armchair, but he didn’t leave, and he was pacing. He came around, saw me, attacked, and I tried to talk my way out of it, but that didn’t work. I had to fight. I’m sorry, Aurelius. I thought he’d leave his rooms, not pace around and catch me.”

“It needed to be done.”

Jari pressed his lips together as something occurred to him. “Were you kind of planning for me to do that?”

“Actually, no. You told me a good way to get rid of them, and I also made a vow, remember? Do you really think I felt like leaving the city in such a fashion?”

That was true. Jari’s suggestion for Aurelius to control Eurig and make him kill his youngest sons before falling on his blade would have left them looking innocent. “What now?”

“We need to get away from this area. That's our first priority.”

Galahad might have had unicorn blood, but the poor horse still had to be exhausted as Aurelius galloped and rested him. They stuck to the trees, headed east, and had to hide in some thick brush under an oak tree when they spotted fliers through the canopy. Since the guilty parties definitely weren’t in the city now, men would be spreading in every direction to search.

They’d have pieces of the story too. Since Jari had disappeared for a bit, they’d guess that he was responsible for the actual killing. A servant must have gone up and found the corpse. The Crown Prince fled, so both were guilty.

The why would be a bit confusing to some. Why slaughter the King in such a messy fashion and haul ass? Zylem would likely twist things if it suited him and hype up Aurelius as a brutal killer who’d had it in for his Father for ages.

Without Aurelius, Zylem was technically the King. He didn’t have the crown, but as the next oldest available, he’d take charge, and that thought made Jari’s bruised stomach drop.

At least Zylem’s toy was gone. He’d be utterly furious without a way to have total control over someone. Being the King was one thing. Twisting someone into a mindless slave was another.

He didn’t need it to be a cruel bastard in general.

Chapter Eight

When it seemed safe, and the fliers were long gone, they kept moving, and Jari kept his hands off of the Prince who was tenser than a bow that had been strung too tightly. The Prince had hung his pack on the saddle, so Jari put it between them the best he could to force space.

The sun was about an hour from setting when he guided the horse through thicker woods to a farm. They stayed under the cover of trees.

“We wait,” he said. “If someone hasn’t come to check yet, they will.”

“We should keep going.”

“Even Galahad can’t go forever,” Aurelius said in a low voice. “Also, we need a second horse for you. I’m not riding for days with you practically pasted to me, and if something happens to Galahad, we’ll need a second.”

“You could sit behind me if that makes it easier,” said Jari.

“No.”

“Surely, it’s not as bad if you're against me. Or put a pack between us. It’s not comfortable, but-”

“No. I’m sure a horse is in that barn.”

Jari didn’t like to think about what the Zorians had done to him. It might be their fault that Aurelius was so revolted by touch. Soldiers could do cruel things, and the idea disgusted Jari. It also made him want to ask so he could take care of a few people in a permanent manner because nobody deserved to be held captive and tortured for a fucking ability. He wouldn’t dare ask, and the Prince would answer him anyway.

He almost wanted to wrap his arms around Aurelius, breathe in his natural sunflower scent, and block shit out for both ofthem for just a few moments. He couldn’t, and it would only agitate the Prince even more.

The farm ahead was quite large, and it hadn’t been planted despite it being late spring. A plot closer to the house seemed to have been worked since he could barely make out a few green shoots.

“Do you know these people?”

“Not really,” said Aurelius. “I went through here on a hunting trip when I was fourteen. We watered the horses at their well. A couple owned it, and they were aged. I think the husband was older than the wife.”

“That explains why they haven’t planted,” said Jari. “They’re too old or one died. It’d be hard for one to manage this themselves.”

“Perhaps a child will come home from elsewhere to take over.”

A barn stood at the back of the property, and if they snuck in later after dark, they'd be set for the night. Almost an hour passed before two fliers appeared in the sky. They landed not far from the house and went to knock. Someone answered it. One flew off to check the barn while the first remained to speak to the owner. His body blocked the way, so Jari couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, and the light was failing.

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