Page 56 of Burn Bright
Cas stopped breathing. "Youknew?"
The prince—no, the king now—stared out over the city. "My memories began to return on the ride out of Gravenwold, and… I began to question them. I saw the flames within Neva's eyes, and the way the fire stirred to her will when she defeated Hussar. The Old Ways were right. When a firebird dies, another isreborn."
A chill ran down his spine. "You never said aword."
"Neither didyou."
Evaron's cool gaze met his, and Cas looked away. He'd never lied to this man. Nor had he kept secrets before. "I couldn'tsay—"
"Iunderstand."
"No,but—"
"I understand." A hand came to rest on his shoulder. "I am a little miffed you thought you couldn't trust me with her life." King Evaron sounded like the old Evaron now. "I would never see a young woman's heart cut from her chest.Never. But perhaps... perhaps I was not worthy of your trusteither."
"You earned my trust years ago," heprotested.
Evaron toyed with the king’s ring, no longer playing the grieving young prince. He’d been doing that ever since they put it on his finger that morning. "I could never trust my half-brother. I knew that the day he was born and his mother smiled at me, as if to say,‘Watch your back.’I wish it could have been different, but you were always more my brother than Rygil everwas."
"And you mine," he replied, not understanding where this train of thought wasleading.
"She had the right of it, youknow?"
"Who?"
"Neva."
The word went through him like a knife. Casimir looked away, taking in the expanse of the city, trying to put himself back together before his friend saw it. "In whatway?"
He could feel his king’s eyes uponhim.
"What sort of man does nothing about his brother’s collar? How can I look at you and know you’re not here by choice, and ignore thatfact?"
The words took the wind out him. "No. No, I don’t blame you for that. She didn’t know what your father was like. You had as much choice as I did.You—"
"Did nothing," Evaron told him, and for the first time the new king couldn’t look him in the eye. "There were ways I could have played it. I might have risked it. My father was cruel, but his punishments only extended as far as the next transgressor to catch his eye. I should have riskedit."
"He sent you to those woods to die," Casimir growled, wishing the bastard had died years earlier. "You heard Hussar. Perhaps you might have risked it—and perhaps you would only have given the king the reason he needed to destroy you and hand his throne toRygil."
"Irregardless, I am kingnowand a part of me will never forgive myself for not doing this sooner." His hands lifted to the collar around Casimir’s throat, and his voice rose. "I, Evaron, first of my name, grant you your freedom. For now and forever, and let no man dare take what was given to you from myhand."
The collar came free, the heavy weight lifting from Cas's throat. It had been a part of him for so long he touched the skin there, feeling its loss as both a gift… and a strangecurse.
For this meantgoodbye.
Again.
"I would name you duke and grant you the lands my father took from your people, but I know the court is not where your heart lies," Evaron said, smiling a little sadly. "You saved my life time and time again. You protected me from my brother and my father’s machinations, and now it is time to reward you for your loyalty. I name you Friend of the King, and I grant you the newly established Earldom of Gravenwold. Your lands abound the forest’s boundaries, and you may do with them what you wish. My one demand is that you attend court once a year, at least, so we can see each otheragain."
"What are you doing?" Cas growled, emotion chokinghim.
"What does it look like?" The corners of Evaron's eyes crinkled. "You're a free man. Free to make your own choices. Free to ride north if you wishit...."
"But what about you?" He shook his head. "The court is dangerous. Any knife in any shadow might end your life before you have a chance to even see it coming. Any sip from any cup might steal your breath away from you before you even taste the poison. You need me. You need me to be your eyes and ears andnose."
"Once, it might have," Evaron whispered, "but I have the feeling I'm not as vulnerable to poison or knives as I oncewas."
The Well ofTears.
