Page 115 of In The Shadows

“So, you got yourself a feisty girlfriend, Midnight? I love her already.” He gives me a happy whinny.

Hiram, Theo, and I climb atop our horses. We watch as Marcus tries and fails several times to mount his own. He’s a terrible rider, and we all fight back our laughter. Marcus finally makes it, and we all give him a round of applause. He rolls his eyes at our teasing.

“Lead the way, my queen,” Hiram says, and I heel Midnight toward the tree line, heading toward the cemetery.

Theo’s head swivels back and forth as he takes in this new part of my kingdom.

When he arrived, I had such hope he would see this land and fall in love with it like I have over the years. My stomach drops, realizing that dream may never come true. I close my eyes, saying a silent prayer to the gods.

Please open his eyes and let him see the truth. I need him to see.

We head down the stone path toward the cemetery. We stop several feet from the burial plots. Theo’s eyes dart all around as if not understanding where we are.

“Hiram, Marcus, wait here. Theo, come with me,” I say as I dismount.

My guards nod and get comfortable in their saddles. Theo hesitantly drops from his mare.

Walking side by side, we follow the path and pause by the gate created for the Lux guards. It’s a lovely burial site, with massive trees surrounding it and beautiful flowers dotting the forest floor.

Theo’s face dances through several emotions as if he doesn’t know how he should feel.

“Why did you bring me to a cemetery?” There is slight apprehension in his voice.

I take a deep breath to prepare myself for this heavy conversation.

“This is the burial site for your men,” I answer, turning to look at him.

Theo’s breathing quickens, and he stares at the plots before us.

“You buried them?” He looks at me, confusion pinching his eyebrows together, and I nod softly.

“We buried them according to Lux rituals. We sectioned this area off and had the soil blessed by a Lux cleric before we performed their burial rites. I commissioned our weavers to make traditional burial linens in Lux colors to wrap them in. Pyres were lit, and we laid their ashes to rest in individual plots. Identifying items adorn their headstones. We burned anything else they had with them to take into the Underrealm.” I take a deep breath, remembering the heat from all the pyres.

“Why?” he sneers, staring at the headstones.

“Because they deserve respect. They had a warrior’s burial, Theo. We honored them for their sacrifice, even if it was for of a cruel king,” I answer.

He turns to me with a mix of pain, sorrow, and hatred twisting his face.

“Why didn’t you just give their bodies back to Lux so we could bury them?” he asks, but his face falls flat as if realizing why we didn’t.

“You know why. Leopold would never have given them a proper burial. He would have seen their deaths as failure and thrown their bodies in a hole to rot,” I say harshly, allowing too much of my hatred to bleed through.

“Your men deserve better than that. They deserve to be welcomed into the Underrealm as warriors with Astra by their side. We gave that to them. Not your king. Your men rest peacefully because of us. We protected them after Leopold sent them to die for nothing,” I say, not holding back my anger.

“Your king knew what would happen to all of you when he sent you here uninvited. He knew and sent you anyway. If he respected you or cared about you, he wouldn’t have sent you all to die from your own nightmares at the hands of my beasts!” I shout.

Theo’s look seems to burn with rage.

“He sent us to get back what you stole,” he yells back.

“We didn’t steal the damn amulet, Theo! He sent you to die for nothing! Why can’t you see that?” I say, pointing at the graves.

“Think, Theo! Think of all I’ve shown you, of the people you met, of the things that don’t add up with what you’ve always known!” I can’t restrain myself.

I need you to get it, Theo.

Theo turns his gaze back to where his men are laid to rest. His breaths are quick as he tightens his fists at his sides.

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