Page 5

“There is no need for that, I can assure you,” I said, but Erix silenced me with a raised hand.

“It’s either Maren or me. You choose. You may be king, Robin. But you made me Lord of Berrow for a reason. When in the borders of Berrow, you are my responsibility just as the lowest-born fey is. That was your mistake, because it puts anyone inside the town under my jurisdiction and protection. My land, my rules.”

“Land that I can quickly take away from you,” I snapped back.

“Which you’ll never do, because the moment I’m free of this responsibility, I’ll be right back by your side, as your personal guard.” Erix forced a smile. He’d wonagain, and from the mischievous glint in his eyes, he knew it. “Now, Maren. If you would kindly see that Robin is guarded at all times, until he leaves Berrow’s boundaries.”

“Certainly, my lord,” Maren replied, before opening the door, taking my lack of response as confirmation of my defeat. But in truth, I used the time to lock eyes with Erix again. My next question was risky, but I had to ask it. “Why the need for guards, Erix? Do you feel as though there are still threats against me that I should be aware of?”

It was his turn to be shocked into silence. I refused to look away, careful not to miss a single nuance of his reaction that would give away the truth of what thoughts he harboured.

Erix had been the one to enter Duwar’s gate, going after Duncan, who’d been taken inside. He’d refrained from talking about what happened during the minutes they were inside Duwar’s realm. To me, his silence was incriminating. He knew something had happened, but would not tell me what. That was the root of our contention.

“Robin.” Erix took a step toward me but stopped himself from getting too close. “For as long as I live, I will always worry about you. You deserve to enjoy the new world more than anyone I know. Stop hiding in the ruins of your castle, and live. Unless you’re the one who feels as though threats still linger, you need to come out of hiding.Live.”

Live… as if it was that easy. Every day I was just trying to survive beneath my new, haunting burden.

I had asked Erix once before about what he experienced with Duncan in Duwar’s realm, and he’d looked me in the eyes and lied. He’d told me nothing had happened, that he’d found Duncan and gotten him out to safety.

That didn’t explain the scars down Duncan’s chest. It also didn’t explain how every time Duncan stood before a mirror, it was Duwar I saw. Either Erix really didn’t know, or he was lying.

I knew which it was.

The proof that something happened was currently chained and bound by iron to a bed, in Imeria castle, drugged daily with Gardineum, dying slowly because of the parasite inside of him.

“Maren, I have a few more errands to run before leaving Berrow,” I said, turning my attention to the soldier. Her leathery wings twitched at the use of her name, likely calling to the more human side of her than the monster her affliction from Doran Oakstorm had caused. “I’d like to visit the apothecary next. The library after that. Can you escort me there please?”

“Certainly, Your Majesty.”

I cringed at the title, knowing I didn’t deserve it. “But once those errands are complete, and we reach Berrow’s borders, youwillleave me. As Erix said, I may be his responsibility on the land I gave him, but beyond the border, I’m the one who gives the commands.”

Maren bowed, but shot a glance to Erix, who must’ve nodded in agreement. “I will do as you command, Your Majesty.”

“Robin will do,” I said, gesturing to the door so we could get out of here.

“Are you in need for more Gardineum then?” Erix questioned.

The reply was thick in my throat. “Pardon?”

“What with the visit to the apothecary, I can only imagine that’s what you are going for. Eroan mentioned you still aren’t sleeping well a few weeks back. I just didn’t realise you still needed the drug to help?”

I felt hot so suddenly, it was as if my blood was Cedarfall rather than Icethorn. “It seems that Eroan needs reminding that gossiping about his king is a punishable offence.” I sounded frigid, just like the element I controlled, hard as ice and as unwelcoming as a winter storm.

“He’s worried about you. Is that worthy of punishment now too?” Erix asked as I stepped back out onto Berrow’s main street. “Overuse of Gardineum can be harmful, not only to your mind but to your body. Although, I’m sure this is nothing Duncan hasn’t already said to you before.”

The Gardineum isn’t for me.

“It sounds like Eroan isn’t the only one who’s worried.” I shot Erix a final look, silently pleading for him tofinallytell me the truth so we could shatter this barrier between us.

“I just want you to enjoy the life you sacrificed everything to have.” Erix ran a hand over his chin, fingers tracing the curve of jawline just as I once had. “Just because you dismissed me, doesn’t change what you are. My duty and my–”

“Erix, I’m fine.”

That was just it. Everything I’d sacrificed up until this point had been for nothing. Because the life he believed we had, this new world, was all but an illusion balancing on the edge of a knife.

A knife I held.

And all it would take was for someone to come and look for Duncan to discover why.