Page 39 of Blackheart

“Oh, so I can meet my other piece of shit brother? No. Put me back in the Waywards. Eat your guilt,King.”

“Rest assured, I will die drowning in the guilt of my failures,” he raised his voice for the first time. Then he stood, pulling a letter out from behind his pillow.

“I have no interest in whatever that is.”

I did not have much in this cruel life, but dammit, I had my dignity, and not even a king could buy it.

Riven gave me a longing glance. A plea to listen. With my lips in a tight frown, I grandly gestured for Clarke to say his piece.

"They say I have little time left, and while I cannot change the past, there is one thing I can still do. For you, for Xavian, for the Dark Natured."

For the Dark Natured.

He raised the letter, sealed with the golden falcon emblem. “This,” he said, “is the deed to Castivian. Signed by me, to release the bastard kingdom from Drakington’s rule. Get this to our brother, and the Dark Natured will have somewhere to seek refuge. The council has made it impossible for me to pass any last-minute laws here, but they cannot stop what has already been done once this is in Xavian’s hands.”

“Your wife is to be queen here, is she not?” I argued. “Would she not do as you wish if you want the Dark Natured to be free?”

“I’m afraid not.” He coughed, glancing back into the room at the poisoned princess.My niece.

It was that simple. Queen Delaina would never forgive the Dark Natured.

“You’re telling me that I am of royal lineage, twin to Lord Xavian Steele, and I’m supposed to travel across the Sea of Blades to deliver a deed to make him king of his lands, so that the Dark Natured have somewhere to flee?” I asked matter-of-factly.

“If the deed is not delivered, the council will seize his lands and demand that the free Dark Natured be executed. Xavian is not the type to obey such an order. If Castivian is declared its own kingdom, the council and the queen cannot touch those lands. It is all I can do with what little time I have left to protect you both.”

All he could do?“You’re the king!”

“One they already consider dead.”

The pounding of marching steps grew nearer. It was still dark, nothing visible except the snow-capped buildings across the capital.

“What is that sound?” I gritted out. Someone had to know, if anyone, thekingshould.

A horn blared. Once. Twice.

“Sapphires!” a voice yelled from somewhere below.

“They’re storming the capital,” Riven said, reaching for his sword.

Clarke did not cower. “In this, you will find the deeds to Castivian and Moonhill. It’s a newly developing hold in Castivian. A home for you, and if you’re able to bring the Dark Natured over one day, you’ll have the land for them.”

Fire. There were flames below as the Sapphires entered the capital, flames engulfing buildings at the bottom of the hill.

“Elora, we must go if I am to keep my promise to you,” Riven warned, eyes darting to the approaching army.

My heart raced. Leaving my brother here didn’t feel right. Learning that the king was my half-brother didn’t feel real.

Clarke held the letter out. “Go. Our bloodline and the Dark Natured are depending on it. Sir Riven will escort you there. Don’t let anyone take this from you.”

Our bloodline.

Castivian becoming its own kingdom would mean my twin would be the first king. It would beourblood upon which the royal line was built. Clarke’s ended here in Drakington.

Everyone knew his heir was never going to wake.

Another horn sounded, and screams suffocated the streets as Drakers and Sapphires met each other's blades.

“You will need one more thing if your lineage is to be believed,” Clarke said.