Page 62 of A Rose Among Snakes (Gardens of Ruin and Revival)

Chapter Sixty-One

Mihrra

T here was still plenty of light left in the day, and after checking that Velian was still alive with the twins, I made my way through the village. It was a good time for me to process all of my thoughts in a place more familiar to me than anywhere else. There was so much for me to come to terms with regarding my father’s life and death, but my own actions, as well. I couldn’t quite explain it, but I felt different.

It was almost as if the hole in my heart from my father’s death was cracking, and every human life I took sent a new fissure scattering through. The cracks opened up new spaces for the guilt to seep into and fester inside my heart, twisting into something ugly, something that resembled smug satisfaction. It scared me.

It also seemed that the truth about my father had added to those cracks, my heart threatening to collapse inward at any moment, rather than filling the hole as I’d hoped it would. It left me wondering if I’d really made it out of that throne room alive, or if I was I just pretending for everyone else’s sake.

Before I knew it, I was outside Taz’s house and found my beloved friend walking back to the barn.

“Taz! ”

Her dark head swiveled around, and her golden face lit up when she spotted me. She dropped the bucket she was holding and ran across the field.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came back for a visit,” I said, hugging her tightly.

Pulling back, Taz pointed to the cut on my face. “Did you upset one of the kitchen maids?”

“Funny you should say that because I share a room with one and she hates me.”

Taz scoffed. “I didn’t know it was possible for anyone to hate you.”

I rolled my eyes but shook my head. “No, I actually got it from King Leoro.”

Taz narrowed her eyes, and when I didn’t cave to her scrutiny, her jaw hung open. “Tell me everything right now. Come with me, though, because if I don’t milk this cow she’s going to break loose and trample me.”

So I did. I told her everything, except the details around Velian, saving those for last. It was fun having such a wild tale to regale my wild friend with, and she gave me all the perfect reactions.

“You not only went to a ball at the castle, and had conversations with Prince—I mean King Leoran—but you’re telling me you’re the one who made him a king?” She blew air through puffed cheeks. “We all heard King Leoro died suddenly and the crown passed to Leoran, but I think everyone assumed it was an illness or something.” She lowered her voice and leaned closer to me. “Was he really that evil? People always describe him as kind.”

“It was all a facade. He didn’t care about anyone other than himself.”

Taz looked at me, her deep-blue eyes sparkling. “You are Terrune’s hero, and no one knows it.”

“Let’s keep it that way,” I said in a hushed tone. “Not everyone will understand.” Before leaving the castle, those of us who had been in that room decided it was best to keep the details between us.

“I won’t tell anyone, but I can’t believe you actually did that!” She studied my face as she squirted milk into the bucket. “I feel like you are holding out on me… like there’s more to this grand story of yours.”

I smirked. “What do you mean?”

“You haven’t said much regarding your reputably handsome employer whom you spent so much time with. You know it’s all I’ve ever cared about from the beginning.”

“There’s not much to say…” I watched as she shot me a skeptical frown. “Except that he loves me, and we are going to get married,” I finished, flipping my braid over my shoulder, pausing with my hand in the air to show off my ring.

Taz gasped and stood abruptly, startling the cow who nearly knocked over the bucket. “You scoundrel. Don’t lie to me.”

I beamed at her and stuck my hand out for her to get a better view of the pink diamonds. She grabbed my hand and squealed .

“I knew it! I knew you would be the one he would fall in love with! I just had this feeling about it, Mihrra.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking and catching up before I said goodbye. Back at home, I learned Velian spent some time with my mother, and I walked in on him helping her in the kitchen, the pair of them laughing about something they refused to share with me. Our supper was pleasant, and it was heartwarming to see how well Velian fit in with my family, even with all of Jem’s glowering.

After the meal, I decided I had something to show Velian. Taking his hand, I led him behind the house, to the edge of the woods that met the pasture. There, we trodded through overgrown brush until we reached it—my father’s memorial stone.

I wiped away the dirt and moss growing over the engraved words:

Gorham Nowen

Beloved Husband and Father

1710-1752

“I wish you were here,” I whispered. Velian wrapped an arm around my shoulders, hugging me close to his side, tucking his other hand into his pocket.

“He was a good man, Mihrra. Despite how he made money, he was a good man. He was honorable, and he loved his family more than anything else.”

“He would have liked you.”

“He did like me.”

I looked at him sharply. “What? ”

“I knew your father, Mihrra. I met him when I was seventeen and my father brought me on my first Ziffem run. Gory was with us, and he was kinder to me than my own father ever was. We worked together countless times over the next six years.”

I clenched my fists as heat stung my eyes. “Velian, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

He took his hand out of his pocket and swiped an escaped tear on my cheek. “I was trying to give you time to process.”

I rubbed my eyes. “Fine. Anything more you need to share with me?”

He stared at the grave marker and frowned. “There’s one thing I should probably tell you.” I held my breath, and he looked down at me, grimacing. “Sometimes I snore, so if you don’t want to marry me anymore, I understand.”

I let out my breath and hit him in the chest. “You scared me. I thought it was going to be something bad.” I stuck my chin out like Kezara. “Lucky for you, I already know about your snoring.”

It was Velian’s turn to be surprised. “You do?”

“Yes, why do you think I slept so terribly that night at the inn?

Velian let out a rumble of laughter. “I assumed it was because you were thinking about how irresistible I am.”

I moved to face him, wrapping my arms around his torso. “You think too highly of yourself.”

Still laughing, he picked me up and spun me around. Placing my feet on the ground, he brushed his fingers through my loose hair and said ,

“I didn’t think very highly of anyone or anything until you showed up in my home. You changed my life, Mihrra, and you’ve given me a hope I never thought possible. I’ll never understand why you chose to trust me after all my family has done to yours, but I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”

I stood on my tiptoes, chest swelling with love, and pressed my lips to his. “You don’t need to make amends for your father’s sins. There is nothing you need to make up to me.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Velian brought his forehead to mine. “I can’t wait to marry you, Mihrra.”

He dipped me backward and kissed me again, but all I could think about was how wrong he was. He deserved so much more than a girl with a decaying heart.