Page 12 of Reigning
Hope
The doorto the dining room makes a heavy sweeping sound as Linden presses it closed behind us.
“Areyou all right? Is she my mother? What the hell happened to your friend out there? What the fuck is going on, Arlow?” Linden’s voice raises higher and higher with every word he says until he’s almost shaking where he stands.
He’d released my hand the moment the door closed behind us, and now I know he was pretending just as much as I was. Huh. I didn’t think the prince had it in him to be on my level of awfulness.
It’s…weird. Really weird.
“I’m fine. That was definitely your mother. She’s a bit different than you might have remembered. Um, she caged Rime with an enchanted device that’s just…it’s destroyed his shining personality. Don’t look to him for enthralling small talk. And yeah, your mom wants to take your kingdom. Just like she took this one. That pretty much sums up what I’ve been up to. How about you? Anything new?” I blink at him and I’m clinging to sarcasm but I really just want to scream until my voice gives out.
His fingers push firmly over his beard, his eyes fixed on a spot on the wall while he paces long strides back and forth. Until the door opens on silent hinges.
And a shifter slinks in, pressing his back to the door, his gaze challenging as he stares hard at Linden.
I should really stop provoking Rime’s dragon. It looks like he’s going to rip Linden to shreds just for hugging me.
“Rime, is it?” Linden nods to the shifter.
Rime growls. The two of them watch each other for a moment, Linden becoming a bit more confused the longer the silence drags on.
“He’s more of a lover than a talker.” I shrug with a smile.
The prince arches a brow and finally glances away. “My mother did that?”
I nod.
“My father always hated her. Said she was crazy and cruel.” His attention slips to Rime once more before coming back to me. “I just thought he was bitter. I thought he…killed her and wanted me to hate her as much as he did.”
“I need your help, Linden.” I take a step closer to him but I’m careful to keep a nice Rime-approved distance between the two of us.
“Arlow, my father is dangerous. I think you should stay here. Nothere, here.” He motions to the room. He pauses to really look at me. Something in him shines in his gaze. “Your mother followed us relentlessly into Minden. She’s worried about you.I’mworried about you. You and Rime should travel farther north. Live a life there. A quiet, happy life with your friends.”
My friends. Linden is my friend. Agatha is my friend. All the people from here to the coast, they’re my friends and family. And none of them will survive a future built by Ellise.
“I need you to get word to a mage in Valencia.”
“A mage? Are you out of your mind? Stop. Stop associating yourself with mages. My father has an army of demons. Those demons’ number one priority is to destroy your kind.”
Demon magic. It’s stronger than mage magic, immensely stronger. The amount of damage a demon army could do, it’s terrifying.
Judging by the lovely demon guards Ellise now has, I’d say she’s prepared to test her own army against Barron’s.
“Say you’ll help me,” I ask him one more time.
He shakes his head at me.
“Please. You were my only friend. You were my friend when I was an outcast. Please say you’ll help me so I can help Minden.”
“You can’t help us, Arlow.” His eyes close slowly, his head still shaking. “I’ll fix this. We have the means to fix this. Do not get wrapped up in a screwed-up feud that’s older than you yourself.”
“If you fix this, your army and her army will destroy two kingdoms regardless of a feud and regardless of who wins. Let. Me. Help.” I clench my jaw, and the prince’s emerald eyes lock on me, testing me and considering me all at the same time.
“No.” He turns, walking toward the door like I’m someone he fully intends to never see again.
He’s done. He’s done with me and he’s done listening to me.
“She’s spent over five years making me who I am today, Linden. She won’t let me walk away. She’s going to use me whether you like or not.” My voice is loud and commanding, and it surprisingly stops him in his tracks. “Get me the mage in Valencia.”
