Page 34 of Glass and Bone
“Wait, so how did she end up with my father?”
“As far as I know, my father gave her to him as a gift for helping him secure his throne. It’s not a secret that he regrets it, hates himself for it. Even more so after she died.” Despite it not being a secret, it’s news to me.
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t I know this? Is this why I was engaged to Tobias so young? So your father could get close to me?” He shrugs and I look down at my hands.
“I don’t think it was so my father could get close to you so much as getting close to your mother. You were here quite often as a child, too.” My eyes snap back to his.
“What?When I came to meet Tobias at the age of seven, that was the first time.” He shakes his head, his eyes soft.
“No it wasn’t. You were here a lot. We grew up together, the three of us, how do you not remember this? I thought maybe you didn’t recognize me when we met, and even when you said you didn’t know the king had another son, but you don’t remember me at all?” He’s lying. He has to be. I shake my head, my eyes staring deeply into his. I don’t remember him or his mother. None of this is true.
“That’s impossible. I don’t remember any of this.” I step away and start to pace, wiping my sweaty palms on my dress.
“Maybe it was the trauma from your mother dying? I don’t know, but I remember my mother telling me that you were going to be my sister someday. Even as toddlers they planned your marriage. I think it was something Sybil and my mother planned, spoke about.” I walk back and forth, my shoes clicking on the floor with each step. His voice is so calm, so relaxed and nonchalant as if he didn’t just drop a bomb of information on me.
“I don’t understand.” I don’t remember much before my mother died. I don’t remember ever leaving the palace, except for when I went to meet Tobias for what I thought was the first time. “My parents fought when my mother wanted to come with me to Noterra when I was seven. He didn’t know she came here so often, did he?” Theo shrugs. I can’t believe it. Idon’tbelieve any of this. I was here as a child? My mother lived here for a few years when she was engaged to adifferentking? None of this makes any sense. Why would this have been a secret?
“Nora, I know this is a lot.” He sighs and steps towards me.
“Stop.” I snap, holding out my hand. “Don’t call me Nora and don’t touch me. You need to stay away from me.” His mouth opens slightly, his eyes hardening. I regret the words as soon as they come out. He’s the one person my heart is telling me is safe, but my mind is begging and pleading for me to distance myself before I get hurt, or before I hurt him. He tries and fails to hide the surprise in his eyes before he clenches his hands into fists and sighs.
“Look, I don’t know what he’s been saying–”
“What is going on?” A sharp voice cuts Theo off and I jump. I turn towards the other end of the hallway where Tobias is standing. His arms are at his sides, his hands twitching. Tears pool in my eyes again as I quickly run over to him. He pulls me against his chest, his eyes not leaving Theo’s. “What’s wrong, Ela?” He whispers, using a new nickname. I almost melt into him. He’s warm and smells like home, but it's not the same. I don’t fit against him like I do with Theo.
“Your father, he attacked me.” I croak into his chest, willing the tears to stop betraying me. He pulls back and looks at me while I quickly explain what Evreux said and did. His chin hardens as he clenches his teeth and his eyes narrow, absorbing everything I’m telling him in silence. When I finish, he lifts my chin slightly and runs his fingers along the bite marks on my neck.
“I’m going to kill him.” He snaps.
“You can’t kill everyone, Tobias.” I mutter, surprising myself. He looks behind me and I turn to see Theo is still there.
“What are you doing here?” He asks, his voice clipped.
“She ran out of the throne room disheveled and in tears, I wasn’t going to just ignore her.” Theo retorts, his voice icy. His arms are crossed over his chest, and despite the wrinkle in between his brows, he looks more worried than angry.
“Don’t come near her. Don’t speak to her. She is notyours. If you see something wrong with her, find me or anyone other than yourself to deal with it. Do you understand me?” His fingers dig into my shoulders pulling me back against him.
“Tobias,” I plead, hoping he’ll drop it. I try to shrug out of his grasp, but I can’t. “He was telling me about my mother.”
“What?” He looks down at me.
“Was she here a lot while you were children? Was I?” He tilts his head to the side, confused.
“Yes, you were here a lot. Our mothers used to tell us all the time we were engaged, don’t you remember?” I shake my head, disbelief clouding my vision. “We played in the trees, we would take picnics down by the stables and watch the horses, my mother even put her crown on you one day so you could see what it looked like. She used to call you her little miracle.” Her little miracle? I don’t remember ever meeting Queen Amaya, I don’t remember ever being in this palace besides the one time.
“I don’t remember any of it. I only remember meeting you with my father when I was seven.” My voice is quiet, my eyebrows pinched together as I dig through my memories.
“That was the first time your father was here, from what I remember, he acted like you and I had never met.” His voice is distant as he thinks.
“I don’t think he knew my mother was bringing me here.”
“I told her about Sybil and how she was engaged to Argent.” Tobias’s head snaps up and glares at Theo.
“Why don’t you stay out of this and stop filling her head with information that is only going to confuse her.” He spits as I glance at Theo over my shoulder.
“I am here when you want to talk, Elaenor. I will always be here.” Tobias growls in warning and Theo turns around to walk down the hallway. I want to call after him, apologize for my anger, but I don’t. I need to stay away from him, not only to protect myself, but to protect him.
“Don’t.” Tobias warns as if reading my thoughts and I look back at him.
