Page 18 of Burn Bright
"Oh?"
"Evaron's a good sort," he said firmly. "Spoiled, to be sure. Privileged. His concept of what life is like is nothing like ours. But he listens. And he tries. The only problem is, he's not as popular at court as you would think.Particularly...."
Particularly?
I waited for an answer that wasn't going to come. "I'm not going to rat you out. I'm the one talking treasonhere."
Casimir's eyes glowed as they met mine. He glanced around once more, and then slid a little closer, his shoulder brushing mine. "The king thinks his eldest son is weak. This is his last chance. Bring his father the firebird's heart, or expect to be disinherited. Rygil's always been a little more like the king than Ev has. Both the king and Rygil would prefer to sidestep the succession. The second Rygil steps foot on the throne, the Way of the Light will be firing up their bonfires. He's afanatic."
"Weak?" The prince was charming, but I'd seen him with the men. He was firm enough they listened to him, and they liked him for it too. A true leader of men. "He's put Hussar in his place often enough today. I wouldn't call himweak."
Casimir stared up at the moon, the hard line of his cheekbones almost sharp. "I'm the problem," he barely breathed thewords.
I rested my chin on my knees, not sure what to say. "What do youmean?"
"The king wants me dead. Evaron wants me alive. He'd have had the throne if he hadn't dared defy his father." His voice dropped. "Forme."
The collar gleamed in the moonlight. "Why are you so loyal to him? He put a collar onyou."
"It'scomplicated."
"I'm sure I can understand," Igrowled.
"Then maybe I don't want to talk about it?" hesnapped.
Any sense of camaraderie fled. Guilt flickered through me. "Sorry. I didn't mean to push. You don't owe me yourstory."
I made to hop off the branch, but a hand suddenly caught mine. He was so much warmer than Iwas.
The silence stretched out, as our gazeslocked.
"Nobody's ever wanted to hear it before," he said, his dark lashes obscuring those brilliant eyes. "I—I know I'm gruff. I'm not used to speaking about myself. About mypast."
Averill always said I was too quick to leap toconclusions.
Slowly I turned my hand upward, linking our fingers. "I would hear it. I would listen. If you wanted to tell me about it. You don't haveto..."
Casimir stared at our linked hands, and heat flushed through my cheeks. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea, but I'd been the one who'd blundered into thisconversation.
"And afterward, we can pretend we don't like each other again, if that makes you feel any better?" I suggestedquickly.
"Who'spretending?"
Ouch. I withdrew my hand, but he sighed and captured it again, looking down as if the sight of my hand in his was the strangest thing he'd ever seen. My skin was darker than his, but his was so much larger. Stronger. Scars gleamed white on hisknuckles.
"I don't dislike you," he saidstiffly.
"I bet you woo all the ladies at court with that tongue." I fluttered my eyelashes athim.
Heglared.
It felt weird, because we were still holding hands. And suddenly I was far too aware of him, of the strength in his grip, and the sheer muscle beneath his skin. Casimir looked dangerous, from top to toe. His body was a study in hard angles, and the only thing soft about him was that mouth. I had this horrible urge to bring my hands up and cup his jaw, to see if the shadow of dark bristles along his jaw were as soft as theyseemed.
What was happening tome?
I cleared my throat. "Tell me about Evaron. And the king.Please."
"King Euric wanted my clan dead," he said hoarsely, his gaze lowering. "All of us. Evaron was but a boy when he rode with the king to burn my people out of the southern forests. It was mayhem." His voice roughened, and I knew he pictured a long-ago moment in time. "They cut my parents down. My aunt. The only one left alive was me, and I was all of ten. I remember trying to get to my hands and knees with broken ribs and a broken wrist, when the king shoved this boy through the circle of guards. The prince. A boy barely a year or two older than I. Euric wanted to blood him. Put a sword in his hand, and told him to kill me. I could smell Evaron's fear and see the horror on his face. And his father was jeering at him, shoving him toward me. Telling him to,'Be aman.'
