Page 14 of The Stolen Throne

My brows knit as I ask, “Is everyone around here always so informal with the prince’s title?”

Bene laughs and explains, “The seven of us call each other by name, considering how long we have known one another. We only use titles when necessary.” His eyes glitter with amusement as he says, “He would not mind if you called him Dax instead of prince.”

I bite my lip as I debate his words. With a huff, I say, “It feels weird to call him Dax. I feel like I should call him prince. It’s what I was taught.”

Bene shrugs and holds open the door for me. “Much of what we were taught is no longer relevant in the world we live in now. You don’t have to be as formal with us.”

I nod as I make my way through the library and head to a section I haven’t had the chance to look at yet. Running my fingers along the dusty spines, I blow off the dust, so I can see the titles.

I jump, letting out a screech of fright when a loud noise erupts from behind me. I look back to find Bene rubbing his nose. My eyes widen. “What the hell kind of noise was that?”

He looks up at me, confused, then looks around the library before turning back to me with an arched brow. “It was just a sneeze. These books are super dusty; they’ve haven’t been touched in a while.”

I shake my head as I argue, “That was NOT a normal sneeze. It sounded as if a demon just left your body!”

He snorts. “I have never had my sneeze compared to a demon leaving my body before.”

Turning back to the rows of books, I huff out, “Well, someone should have. That sneeze would frighten children.”

He chuckles as he trails behind me. “I will keep that in mind if I ever need to frighten children.”

I feel my cheeks heat as I nod. “You do that.”

“Are you looking for anything specific, Eira? I can help if you would like.”

“Really?”

He seems confused by my question. “Yes? Do you not want my help?”

I almost drop the books in my arms as I spin toward him, shaking my head. “No, that is not what I meant. I only… I just thought you may not want to help the woman who thinks of the prince as a villain.”

“Why would I not want to help you? If I don’t help you that would only reinforce your views of us were correct, would it not?”

My eyes lower and trace one of the many designs on the floor. “I suppose,” I whisper.

He lowers himself enough to catch my eyes with his. “Have you ever thought that maybe villains are just misunderstood?”

My brows furrow. “What do you mean?”

Placing a finger under my chin, he raises my face to meet his gaze. With a soft smile, he says, “Everyone always views villains as evil beings. But did you ever think that maybe the villains just live by a different set of morals? Maybe my morals don't adhere to those of a hero, but that doesn't mean I don't have any. So am I really the villain, or do I just not fit the standards the heroes wish for me to adhere to?”

I’m about to reply, but he places a finger over my lips. “I am not saying we aren’t villains; I am only saying we may not be as bad as you believe us to be.” He pulls away, taking a step back. “Continue your search, Eira. I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”

I watch him take another step back before turning to head in the direction of the sitting area. I stand frozen as I try to process his words. Is he right? He does have a point. Are my views on heroes and villains skewed because of what I was taught? Is there a definitive line between good and evil, or is there a blurred area of good intentions?

I know true good and true evil exist, but what fills the space between the two? Do Dax and his men live in the space between?

10

“T

he king will be here within the next few hours,” a deep voice says from the doorway. I look up from the book I’m reading and find Dax in the entrance to the library.

Bene is sitting beside me with his own book and looks up with a huff. “I am surprised it took him this long to visit.” He sets down the book he was reading and stands, hesitantly turning to hold out a hand to me. “We should get you ready for the king's arrival.”

I arch a brow as I set my book aside, then take his offered hand. “What do you mean?”

Bene’s eyes dart to Dax before landing back on me. He sighs before saying, “You must look and act the part of the prince’s toy while he’s here. The king has certain expectations, and how we’ve treated you here, and allowed you to do certain things, is not even in the realm of what the king would find suitable.”

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