Page 59 of The Forsaken Heir

brIELLE

I ’d spent the remainder of the morning in a haze of confusion and terror after hearing what my family had planned for Aurelius.

Delphine had done her best to comfort me, but I didn’t want to talk.

Couldn’t talk. How did you discuss the fact that someone you cared for so deeply was about to be murdered? You couldn’t.

The mansion remained a hive of chaotic activity, but I drowned all that out with the rumbling thoughts bouncing through my head.

I recalled the dream I’d had, and all the silly things I’d tried to do to save Aurelius.

It all made sense in the dream, but was completely ridiculous in real life.

That didn’t stop me from fantasizing about doing all those things and more.

Anything to save Aurelius from the fate that had befallen him. A fate that was partly my fault.

“Good day, Lady Brielle.”

I jumped and spun around to find Titus standing in a doorway of what looked like a small staff dining room.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “Did I frighten you?”

I’d wandered into the lower levels of the northern wing of the old mansion, where the staff quarters were. I was in the hallway between the dining room and the laundry facilities.

“I didn’t see you there, that’s all,” I said, trying to calm my racing heart.

“Is there anything you needed? Did you come looking for assistance, maybe?” he asked, raising his eyebrows hopefully. “I can get one of the housemaids, or a butler, perchance?”

Perchance ? Who talked like that anymore? Even the oldest shifters altered their language to fit as time went by.

“No, I’m fine, Titus. I was out exploring. Thinking,” I added with a shrug.

His lips pressed together in a thin line, and he nodded once. “Yes. That makes sense. The news is… Well, it isn’t ideal.”

“Yeah,” I said and sighed heavily. “Look, Titus, I’m not trying to be rude, but is there someplace I can go to be alone? To, I don’t know, sit for a bit?”

He bowed his head slightly. “The estate is quite full at the moment. In all honesty I can’t remember a time when it was this busy.

” A sad frown crossed his face. “It was most likely when the queen died years ago. Dignitaries from all across the world came for the funeral. That was most likely the last time there were so many people here. Hard to find a quiet corner when its’ like this.

Though,” he added, his face brightening, “there is the library.”

“I went there earlier. A bunch of stuffy rich guys were in there talking. Not what I wanted to deal with.”

“I meant the original library. It’s in the older castle portion of the estate. Built when it was first founded, when the dragons came to the new world. It’s smaller and tucked away. Most don’t know about it. Our staff goes there every now and then to dust, but it’s unused for the most part.”

“That sounds perfect.” My shoulders sagged in relief. All I wanted was to stew in my misery in silence. “Where is it?”

Titus gave me some general directions, and I set off down the smaller side corridors and less-traveled stairs in an attempt to stay out of anyone’s sight.

The deeper I went into the older portion of the castle, the quieter it became.

A dull ache rose in my chest as I remembered Aurelius giving me a late-night tour.

Aurelius preoccupied my mind almost every second, drowning out all other thoughts.

I almost didn’t notice the dull rumble of a voice, until I was standing outside the old library.

I paused and leaned toward the door when I recognized Vincent’s voice.

From his tone and cadence, it was obvious he was reading something.

“‘Stuff your eyes with wonder. Live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.

Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal.

And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth, which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away.

To hell with that. Shake the tree and knock the great sloth down on his ass’.

“What does that mean, anyway?” he asked, after finishing the passage.

“Well, it means that Mr. Bradbury was telling us to do all we can with the life we have. A very insightful idea. It’s one, I think, humans have a better understanding of than we do.

We live such long lives, I feel we forget how tenuous life can be.

We take it for granted. Until it’s too late, anyway. ”

I glanced around the corner and saw Cassius sitting in a chair opposite Vincent.

“You know I met him once,” the king said.

Vincent looked up from the book. “Who?”

Cassius pointed at the book in Vincent’s hands.

Fahrenheit 451 . “The author. It wasn’t long after his third book was published.

I spoke with him for several hours in a bar in downtown Seattle after a book tour.

A brilliant man. As a dragon, I’ve always had a soft spot for that book.

We live in a world of fire, don’t you think, Vincent? ”

“Huh,” Vincent said. “I guess so. I don’t breathe fire much, though. Not unless I need to. It tastes like charcoal in my throat. I don’t like the flavor.”

Cassius let out a hearty laugh, so I decided to step into the room rather than keep eavesdropping. The king turned when he saw me, and his smile grew warmer.

“Well, well, well, Vincent. It appears we’ve been graced by the lovely Brielle. Could two men ask for more than to have a beautiful woman to talk to, a cozy room to sit in, and books to read?”

“A hamburger would be nice too,” Vincent said, and Cassius broke into laughter again.

I sat down. “I liked hearing you read, Vince.”

Vince quickly closed the book, his cheeks going red. “Uh. Yeah. I’m going to head out.”

Before I could tell him not to go, he jumped up, mumbled a goodbye under his breath, and hurried out the door. I frowned. Had I offended him?

“He’s a good boy,” Cassius said.

“Did I upset him?”

Cassius shook his head sadly. “No. He’s always had a hard time with his public speaking. I’ve been tutoring him by having him read out loud. His father has no patience for it, so I took it upon myself.”

I stared at the man across from me. He was the king of a hidden kingdom whose people were on the verge of a devastating war, and his enemies had taken his son hostage, yet he still took the time to tutor Vincent.

Cassius gave me a rueful smile. “You think I have more important things to worry about than helping an autistic boy learn the ways of a nobleman?”

Now it was my turn to blush. I averted my eyes and muttered, “I didn’t say that, Your Majesty.”

Cassius let out a small bark of a laugh. “You didn’t have to. Why do you think we came here to this old library? Vincent wasn’t the only one who wanted to be away from prying eyes. Sometimes duty is exhausting.”

“Heavy is the head?” I asked with a grin.

“That wears the crown. Indeed,” Cassius agreed.

“Since…uh…since Aurelius was taken hostage, I’ve had nothing but meetings and strategy sessions.

I swear if I have to hear Titus or Benedictus tell me what we need to do one more time, I’ll scream.

I wanted some time alone, Vincent needed practice—therefore it made sense for us to do that together.

“What I truly wonder,” the king continued, “is how you came to be here. Did you get turned around? Not many people venture this far into the old castle. Most prefer the newer wings we built in the early twentieth century.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Actually, Titus sent me here.”

Cassius sighed and put his hand to his forehead. “He didn’t send you to find me for another meeting, did he?”

“No, nothing like that. I came for some peace and quiet too.”

“Oh, good. Like I said, I can’t handle more of that. I need to mentally recharge first.” Cassius glanced out the window, then back at me. “Would you like to take a walk outside? There’s an old exit we could use. We won’t have to see anyone.”

I thought about saying no. I had come here to be alone, not talk with the king.

But he was sad, stressed, and in need of a friendly ear.

Plus, my family had taken his son. Although I was in love with Aurelius, the connection between us was far newer and not as strong as the bond between father and son.

Besides, it would be rude to refuse the company of the king.

“Sure. Some fresh air sounds great.”

Cassius led me to a door at the rear of the castle, near where the young dragons had been born back when the numbers of their kind were higher. Heavy metal slide bolts and some type of spell held the door shut. Cassius waved the royal seal of his ring over the lock, and it unlatched with a snap .

Outside, the cool wind flipped my hair up, sending a chilly breeze across the back of my neck.

Thankfully, I was wearing a thick, cable-knit sweater, otherwise I would have been uncomfortable.

Cassius, on the other hand, was at home with the cold, his dragon metabolism keeping him warm against the frigid air.

We walked through the manicured grounds at the rear of the estate in silence for several minutes before Cassius finally spoke.

“I’m sorry you can’t return home.”

“Huh?” I frowned in confusion. Why on earth would I want to go back to my parents?

“Your apartment in the city,” he explained as he plucked a maple leaf from a tree. “We discussed it, but we felt it was simply too dangerous right now. I don’t want you to feel like a prisoner here, but it’s the best way we can keep you safe.”

“Oh,” I said, understanding dawning on me.

In truth, Delphine and I most likely wouldn’t have felt comfortable there anyway. My brother and the rest of my family had already shown they were willing to kill me. Who knows what they might do now?

“I kinda like it here, honestly,” I said after a moment.

“That’s good to hear,” Cassius said, and the expression on his face told me that he meant it.