Page 160 of Enchanted Heir
He needed to go.
Krew wrapped an arm around me as I looked at all the candles of varying shapes and their lights. The final event for the night was to shut down the lights and listen to a violin play with only the candlelight showing. A visual of hope heading into the new year.
As the lights went dark and the violin started up, first slowly and then gradually getting louder, I felt tears threatening to drown me with the beauty of it all. Yet none of this was fair. If he truly had poisoned the other countries, Theon Valanova deserved far worse than even death. My eyes bounced along tiny flames on the tables knowing that none of these wishes would likely ever come true as long as he wore that crown upon his head. Hundreds of wishes. Hundreds of hopes. Yet one thing stood in all of our way. An enemy most of us didn’t even recognize as such. An enemy who drew pleasure in the snuffing out of those flames.
By the time we made it up to Krew’s room, I was just sure I was going to burst into a million pieces with the urgency of sharing this secret with him. I was right. I knew I had to be.
“Owen you might want to stay for this,” I told him as Krew opened the door to his wing.
“I cannot, I’m afraid,” he offered. “I have a date.”
I entered Krew’s room but turned to look at him surprised, only to see the look he sent in my direction. It made me think it wasn’t a date at all but was instead a meeting of sorts about what I asked Owen to look into. “Well, have fun.”
“Since when is he around women?” Krew asked, looking at Owen’s retreating back with confusion as he shut the door.
“He’s always around women,” I offered, not wanting Krew to suspect anything was amiss. And Owen really could be on a date for all I knew.
“No, he’s always aroundyou,” Krew argued.
“And I happen to be a woman.” I sliced through the air with a hand. “Enough about him.” I blurted out every single thought I had during the play about the king being the source of the disease.
“Gods,” Krew whispered. “We were in training. It could’ve happened. Those years he spent hours and hours in the mountain.”
I was relieved he hadn’t immediately told me my suspicions were wrong. He knew it was at least possible. “He was developing a poison. To attack the other countries’ magic.”
Krew opened his mouth and then shut it. “If this is true, it’s a miracle they all haven’t attacked.”
“But would they, without their magic, unless they knew for sure Wylan was to blame? What if he poisoned the forest to cover his tracks and make Wylan appear innocent?”
Krew gave his head a shake. “Jorah this is—” he threw up his hands. “This is not just a matter of Wylan’s throne, but the entire realm. And if they ever find out? There will be war. No amount of walls will save us from their vengeance.”
“Until he makes every country and every living being bow down to him,” I recited. “Those were your mother’s words.”
Krew’s magic started creeping along his forearms. “He wouldn’t though, right? He wouldn’t be so narcissistic that he would poison four countries to ensure he’d be the strongest in the realm, would he?”
“He’s been telling the other Enchanted for years to store up their magic, Krew,” I told him. “He’s out for himself and only himself.”
“Shit.”
I’d never heard Krew curse like that before. Which meant this was as bad as I thought it was.
He walked over to lay his crown on his nightstand carelessly before taking off his navy tailcoat. “And there was a part two to this bit of information? Wasn’t there a conversation you needed to tell me about?”
I smirked. “Well, yes, but this one was not as revealing. Just outlandish. Sasha Girard thinks I am the counterpart to your father’s power.”
Krew stilled where he stood, his eyes meeting mine.
“He thinks I am the only thing in the realm that can temper your father’s strength.”
Krew’s forehead creased. “But you’d have to be close enough to touch him.”
I smiled. “But if I did, object or no object, wouldn’t we be able to kill him?”
Krew thought on that a moment. “I suppose so. If we could trust him at all to be near you and not kill you first.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. It sounded...excessiveto me. I’m not Enchanted. I’m from the lowest level in the kingdom. There’s no way I can possibly be the counter to his power, right?”
Krew thought on that a moment, his eyes going to the snow on the veranda.
