Page 87 of The Broken Prince

HARLOW

Delacroix began to evacuate.

The cobblestone street was lined with carts, everyone taking whatever they could, but it was mostly food to survive the barren lands of HeartHolme. Some farmers and merchants would remain behind, taking on the heroic role of continuing food transport to HeartHolme so everyone wouldn’t starve.

I looked across the village, on the verge of tears because I feared I would never see this place again. The sight was traumatizing, to watch our people leave the kingdom that we couldn’t protect.

My father came to my side, a behemoth in height and armor, and he took in the same horrific sight. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I’m sorry this is your reality—and it’s my fault that it is so. I should have offered death rather than mercy to the Teeth. A mistake I’ll never repeat.”

“Father, you should never apologize for choosing to be good rather than cruel.” I turned to look at him. “I love you for that.”

His blue eyes softened as he looked at me, and then his hand reached for my shoulder, embracing me the way he did Atticus, gripping me through my armor. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes. All my things have been packed in the wagon.”

He released me and turned away.

“But I do have one request.”

He turned back to me, and the softness in his gaze had quickly been replaced by hardness, like he suspected my request had something to do with Aurelias.

And he was right. “I’d like Aurelias to ride Pyre with me.”

“It’s inappropriate for a vampire to ride a dragon.”

“I asked Pyre, and he has no issue with it. Besides, don’t you think the men will be uncomfortable traveling with a vampire in their ranks? Some of them hail him as a hero, but I’m sure others will always fear him.”

Father stared, his thoughts protected behind that hard gaze.

“I thought you liked him—”

“I don’t like anyone, Harlow. Like isn’t a word in my vocabulary.”

“Then I thought you respected him.”

“I do.”

“And trust him.”

“I trust people as often as I like them.”

“Father.”

He couldn’t hold my stare anymore, so his eyes shifted away. “Your relationship makes me uncomfortable—something I have no desire to discuss.”

I looked away too, also uncomfortable. “With all due respect, whom I choose to spend my time with is my own business, whether he’s a vampire, a human, or one of the Teeth. I’m sorry that it makes you uncomfortable—”

“It makes me uncomfortable because I don’t want you to get hurt.” He looked out over the kingdom, unable to look at me.

My arms crossed over my chest. “Isn’t that a part of life?”

He continued his stare.

“Isn’t it an integral and unavoidable part of life?”