Page 59 of A Vow of Embers

“I don’t. Which makes it another useless gift.”

He laughed and I glanced over my shoulder at the prince. He was ignoring us, deep in conversation with Stephanos.

There was a pang in my heart as I remembered how closely he’d listened to me in my dreams as I told him about my day in the temple. How he would focus all his attention on me, seemingly engrossed in the minutiae of my life. I understood it, because I had felt the same when he had told me about his travels.

Which had all been lies, I reminded myself.

I had been so vulnerable with him. So open. Shared myself with him and he had taken it and not returned the favor.

He had given me lies and misdirection instead.

Rokh seemed to notice what I was doing, staring at the prince, and I tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t give away where my thoughts had gone. “Will you tell me about them?” I asked. “The members of the phratry.”

If he thought my question strange or invasive, he didn’t show it. “You know Thrax.”

“Unfortunately.”

Rokh grinned. “There are few men who can best him in hand-to-hand combat. He left his mother’s people to come and serve with Xander. He has the best sense of humor in the group, and is the one who laughs the most. He is one of the greatest warriors I have ever known and loyal to a fault. You couldn’t ask for a better person to have by your side.”

I found that hard to believe.

“Stephanos is the fastest runner. He’s never been beaten in a race. He’s a bit quieter but has a big heart. He loves love. Although I’ve never seen him pursue anyone. Something happened with his family, and a couple of years ago, he joined the phratry after he beat Xander in a race.”

“And what about you?” I asked.

“Me? That’s a long and boring story. I share a father with Xander and Thrax. I came here six years ago with a misguided notion to challenge Xander and stayed to be his friend and his phratry brotherafter he defeated me in a duel. I wish that I’d known how pointless it was to fight him.”

I knew what that was like.

“And, of course, you already know Xander.”

“No, I don’t think I do,” I said, and Rokh looked uncomfortable. So instead of responding, he continued to tell me about the phratry.

“As for Dolion, there is no better marksman. I’ve seen him shoot a fly out of the air. He met Xander a few years ago when Xander had gone out in a royal processional. Dolion shot an assassin who had the prince in his sights. He enjoys women and collecting their hearts and then breaking them.”

There was a definite warning in Rokh’s voice. And I didn’t know if it was out of concern for me personally, or if he didn’t want me to possibly embarrass the prince by pursuing some kind of liaison with a member of his phratry.

“And you don’t break hearts?” I asked.

“I am a one-woman man and utterly devoted,” he told me.

Did that mean he had a sweetheart? Or was he just talking about the sort of man he was? Just as I was about to ask, Alexandros called out, “You’re supposed to come and eat with us, princess.”

I frowned at him. His friend was the one who had told me I had a choice.

You promised to listen to him,I reminded the rebellious part of myself who wanted to defy him. I set down the box in my hands and went over to get some food.

My appetite had returned and I piled many different things onto my plate. When I approached the table, Dolion jumped from his seat and ran over to pull out my chair.

“Allow me,” he said.

Another kindness. It was nice to be treated well. I appreciated the gesture. I thanked him as I sat down.

“We were discussing the council voting for the next king,” Stephanos told me, trying to include me.

He didn’t seem to realize that Alexandros wanted to keep me out of their conversation, missing the expression on the prince’s face.

“Why can’t the council vote now?” I asked. It would certainly make my life better if they would just choose him to be king and let me leave this wretched place.

---