Page 61 of Gilded Crown

“Shit,” he mumbled. This wasn’t just a homeless guy.

“What have I done?” asked Aurelius.

The man got to his knees as he glared at Aurelius. “Your brother-he did it, but I had to do it. He made me hit her and hit her. I loved my sister, but I couldn’t stop. It's your fault. He said you ordered it, and it should have been him in line-” The man gripped his hair.

“What happened?” asked Jari.

“He said he’d wear the crown forever, and I was a test. He kept me in the attic and said if I made a sound, he’d make me hang myself, and that he could bring her back and make me kill her again…” His voice trailed off as his eyes went blank for a second like he was seeing what had happened again in his mind. “He took off the crown, and it was like I came back, but he must be wearing it again because I see it every night. It’s always on his head, and it’s in my head.” He ducked his head and rocked back and forth.

Eurig had said the crown made people like slaves, but it always killed them. It must take time depending on how strongthe control was. This poor servant must have been a test too, and he'd been kept locked up.

“Was anybody killed or missing before I came back?” Jari whispered to Aurelius.

“No. I don't even recognize him. He must have worked in the back. I suppose he could have come after I left.”

“He’s lost it. Zylem must have kept him somewhere until now. What are we supposed to do with him?”

“We can’t leave him alive,” said Aurelius.

“What? We can put him in the back of a cart-”

“He’ll talk.”

“Say he’s crazy. It's not a lie. Maybe he doesn't have a sister.”

“But maybe he does. Zylem wouldn't care about killing someone. Besides, we can't risk people hearing certain things, and it’s kinder.” Aurelius tilted his head. “Do you want him to die slowly while seeing his sister die over and over again?”

Jari gripped the reins. He would die of insanity, and it was too late for him now. “No…”

“You did this. He told me if I followed the road, I’d find you because you're coming back to kill us.” The man swiped a dirty hand across his cheek. “I’ll tell everyone what you ordered.”

Jari looked to his left where mountains loomed as a natural, partial border between Nova and Wockston. It’s pretty damn hard to hide an army, and if a flier had ever gotten close enough to see like they’d suspected, then Zylem could have orchestrated this. He must have had guards finally take the man from the attic. It would make sense to take this road back to Morning Glory.

If he’d been gagged on the way, the guards might have believed that this man had been banished. If not, well, he was insane. Either way, Zylem could have said anything.

This man, likely a servant since his clothes were black, was a cast-off who was nearing the end of his life, and it was somethingto rub in Aurelius’s face. Perhaps Zylem was hoping they’d take pity on the man, try to save him, and the servant would blab things about Aurelius to make him look bad.

The man sucked in a shuddery breath as more tears poured down his cheek. “You wanted her dead.”

Aurelius slipped down from his horse. “I never wanted your sister dead.”

“He said you did…you’ll hurt people, and you’re bringing an army to kill my sister again and again. I won’t watch. You can’t make me.” Aurelius took a step forward, and he jerked back. “You can’t. I won’t hit her again even if you wear a thousand crowns. She was all I had left, and you took her.” He got to his feet and wavered.

“Aurelius-”

“Jari, stay back.”

The man turned and looked at the ravine with its rocky bottom. If he pitched himself in, he probably wouldn’t die since it wasn’t that deep. He’d certainly break something on the sharp, jagged rocks. Jari wanted to get down, try to grab him, end it swiftly, and release him from his suffering that would only end in death anyway.

“Do you want me-”

“I want you to stay there.”

Aurelius reached into his pack where the items were always stored. It wasn’t the safest hiding spot in the world, but they wouldn’t dare leave those items in a cart. While the servant was still contemplating the ravine, the Prince grabbed the crown from inside where it had been wrapped.

“No!” snapped Jari. “What the fuck are you doing?”

Aurelius planted it on his head and paused for a second. “Come here.”

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