Page 110 of The Oracle of Dusk

His fairy had stayed to save him, even knowing what would happen. Even though she’d had no guarantee of her own safety. Hyllus could only hope for such devotion. Everything Theron had done had been worthwhile. She was his.

Hyllus waited for a moment, assessing Aurora for any sign of discomfort. As if he might need to protect her from Theron. She was not Hyllus’ to protect, to care for. That was Theron’s self-appointed charge.

“Aurora, I’m going to speak with the paladins here. They’ll take you to the temple of Justice and safeguard you until you’re ready to leave the city. Your Majesty, I’ll do the same for you, though you may need to wait a little longer to leave, since Nerio is usually the one to see to cases amongst royalty.”

“No need, Hyllus. I’ve already done so by speaking to the paladins here.”

Hyllus smiled.

“Good. See, Aurora? Everything will work out.”

“Are we…are we really getting out of here?” Aurora asked, her eyes full of cautious hope.

“Yes, we are,” Theron answered.

“Thank the Triad.”

She should be thanking him. But he would let it slide, just this once. His little fairy looked like she was going to collapse at any second.

“Sleep, Aurora. I’ll wake you when I retrieve our belongings,” Theron said.

“Mmm,” she replied, her eyes closing the moment her head hit the pillow.

Within a few heartbeats, she was asleep.

“Your Majesty.” Hyllus waved him out of the room and into the corridor. Once the door was closed, he kept his voice low. “I won’t be staying in Boreas long, but I intend to take her with me when I leave. I thought I should tell you in case the two of you…”

At least the young man had the sense to know there was something, however tenuous, between them.

“And do you truly believe you’re capable of protecting her? Do you even know who her enemies are?”

“I know she fears both Orithyia and Flora. I’m confident my status as the avatar will shield her from any future meddling.”

“Hyllus, the only person protected by your status is you. Do you know what she is? What she’s capable of? What she seeks? The risks involved?”

Hyllus furrowed his brows.

“Yes, of course. She told me as much.”

She’d told him?! A man she’d known less than an hour? He’d had to wheedle and cajole even the barest hint of that information from her. What made Hyllus so much more trustworthy? So deserving of her secrets?

“You seem upset by this. I assure you, her secrets are safe with me.”

Secrets. Plural. What did Hyllus know that Theron didn’t? Theron tamped down on his anger. That even the avatar could sense it was a slip he never should have made.

“Then you know that if Orithyia or Flora wish to harm her, there will be little you can do to stop them. You are one man against armies of soldiers, spies, and assassins. Avatar or not, you will need the resources of a kingdom to guard her.”

“Do you love her?”

“I—”

Of course he didn’t. What kind of king could afford to love? Love was a weakness for those with real power and more enemies than they could count. Love was for good men like Hyllus, not good kings like Theron. But that wasn’t what a good man wanted to hear about a woman he’d sworn to protect. So Theron told the avatar exactly what he wished to hear.

“I do. I have not…admitted as much to her.” That would hopefully forestall Hyllus from telling such outrageous lies to Aurora in the meantime. Good men respected the secrets of others. “And I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to take her from my side. Once this business with Flora is sorted, I’ll escort her back to Aureum in comfort and safety. When it comes time to slay this beast, she’ll have the might of an army behind her.”

And once the business with her beast was done, and this cycle of chaos over, she would remain at his side, her visions used to ensure the peace, safety and power of Aureum. But Hyllus didn’t need to know that.

Hyllus clapped him on the back with a smile.

---