Page 38 of Gilded Crown

“It was a last-second thing I had to check. If it was there, and I missed it-”

“Okay, okay. I know. You’d kick yourself in the ass forever.”

Aurelius huffed. “Maybe it is sewn into someone like the key was in me, although I can’t imagine who unless Eurig dug up someone.”

“What if they died, and Eurig hid it in their body before they were buried? Maybe he knew them? Now it’s hidden in a tomb or a grave somewhere.”

“Fuck,” Aurelius swore under his breath. “That's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Even if we knew who it was, we’d have to make up some grand lie to get a Mage to open a grave too because we can’t do that ourselves.”

“You don’t truly need the items.”

“There’s only one left, and I should destroy them all.”

“No, listen to me,” said Jari. “Destroy what you have. If this other item is hidden so well now, it honestly might never be found again. It’s probably in some common guard’s grave, and who’s going to dig him up? Most fairies are buried with nothing in general except for a shroud, so they won’t expect to find anything valuable to steal. Nobody will touch it again.”

“Jari,” Aurelius said in a tight voice. “I’ve been fighting and aware of things for almost my whole life. Eurig didn’t tell me what the items do, but I knew from a young age the bare basics. He told me I’d have the ability to gild at some point when I was old enough. Seeing and knowing things-I didn’t truly want gold. Why do you think I have nothing made from it? I won’t buy a ring or anything made of gold from anyone. My Mother despised it too, and she only wanted silver.”

He held up a hand, possibly indicating that some of the rings had belonged to her.

“Magic in a fairy doesn’t come until around twelve or thirteen, but this took longer. I didn’t even know I could do it until-it wasan accident. I assume Eurig thought the greed would get to me, and I’d want to try on my own, but I hate this and don’t want fucking gold.”

“You said it whispers to you and makes you want it.”

“I do, and I fight it. It’s there in my mind like an urge or like-” Aurelius gestured again. “Perhaps it’s like the constant urge that an alcoholic supposedly has years after they stop drinking. I can function and be normal because I’m also used to it since birth. I know it’s there, and at the same time, I hate gold too. Eurig’s greed took hold faster because he already desired more. I don’t want anyone to ever go through this again. One tried to stop something he started, and it came back generations later to bite us in the ass again. Those items need to be destroyed. Beyond that, we need to stop my brothers. If they realize they have the Golden Touch…they'd likely drive themselves insane faster than Eurig, but they'll have plenty of time to ruin Nova. Zylem can't stay on the throne.”

“What do you expect us to do now? We're kinda fucked.”

“I’ll have to go to King Darlim. Father wouldn’t ask him for help, but if I go, he might give me his army. I’ll explain it’s in his best interests, and with that, I can get Nova back.”

That would save the Kingdom from Zylem, but it wasn’t that easy. “You’ll be painted in a bad light everywhere to say the least. King Darlim might not care to hand over his army.”

“I can talk my way in and keep us safe. No matter what Zylem says, it wouldn’t be smart to slaughter my Father and flee. That wouldn't gain me the throne.”

“Maybe I don’t want to go with you to do this,” said Jari. “We could just…leave and go far away.”

“If only it was that easy.”

A lot was at stake with Zylem on the throne…Dear Elira. Still, he had to say it because no matter how Aurelius treated him, hewasn’t a damn dog, and he had to speak up for himself despite the glare he was getting.

“Did you think of that? I came back. I risked my life to help keep you safe and get this crown. Now, you want an army to go to war with your brothers?”

“I don’t have anybody else,” Aurelius said in a small voice.

“Why did you have to fucking pick me? I did something horrible to you. Even to pay you back-I don’t see how you can stand it. To top it off, I was on a drug, and I didn’t intend harm, but I threw myself on you. I'm not going anywhere, but it’s just one thing after another.”

Aurelius let out a small sigh. “I thought maybe you’d do something that day when your Father caught me. You didn’t. And when you were brought in with the other criminals six years later, I did want to get even. There are others I want to get even with-you were simpler and not as bad, but the temptation was too much because you were right there. When we were teenagers, you didn’t speak up or do anything with that madman wanting to beat and sell me, and seeing you there-”

It still gnawed on Jari, and this was rubbing it in more.

“I forgive you since you apologized,” said Aurelius. “I came back to get you because I want someone to stick by my side through this. I needsomeonewho won’t use me or try to get the power for themselves. I don’t like you that much-”

“Oh, that’s nice. I don’t like you that much either.”

Aurelius sat up. “But you’ve stayed even though you left for a bit earlier, and you don’t seem to hunger for much. Even after you knew, you didn’t ask for anything. You didn’t even hint at me gilding something for you, and you didn’t demand extra money to accompany me to the Zorian border.”

Jari leaned toward him. “I’m also someone who is easily guilted. I don’t like hurting people, and I only do it when needed, and you know that. I did a horrible thing to you, and that made iteasy for you to get me back after I’d had some time to cool down after the fight we had. That’s why you got your coils around me. Even if you forgive me, it doesn’t erase the past between us. It doesn’t erase other things that happened to you, and I don’t like breaking my word. I absolutely hate not keeping a promise. Whipping you isn’t the only thing that weighs on my mind, and like a snake, you sensed the weakness and went for it.”

“You also won’t be so tempted to use those items. You don’t hunger for more and more.” Aurelius brought his face closer. “You don’t like me that much because of what I am, but you know I’m important for the Kingdom in the long run. That’s another reason you stay. You're a good man. I need someone like that who doesn’t help only so they can line their pockets. Even when you came back, you only asked for a vow, and I kept mine because I didn't bring you to use as a scapegoat.”

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