I hope you are faring well today. I’m certain you’re worried about Father’s visit, and to be honest, so am I. He’s planning something, and I’m worried it has something to do with your visions. All I know is that he’s planning to meet with Conan today to discuss their methods for utilizing the hidden mages.
I’m worried for you. I know you don’t wish to share your visions with me, but I must admit, I’m concerned about what our future holds. I’m not going to ask you to do something you don’t want to do, so please don’t do it if you don’t believe it to be beneficial. But I wanted to ask one more time, as a friend, if your visions are capable of giving me any warnings.
I only want to ensure that Ashbourne is led by someone who can protect it and its people. If you don’t feel your power can provide me with these answers, then I’ll never ask again. But if there’s even a small chance... would you consider it? There is a blank parchment in the envelope. If you wish to share anything with me, whether it be a denial or a simple conversation, feel free to reuse the envelope and return it under the door. I’ll send a trusted servant to look for it later.
Please know that I trust whatever decision you make.
Your Prince
I bit my lip until I tasted blood. The guilt and tension I had fought so hard to ignore were now blazing through me mercilessly.He only wants to protect his kingdom...I had been so selfish... It was never up to me to determine what was best for him—obviously, he was fully capable of doing that on his own.
Was it even possible for my visions to aid him?
I suppose it wasn’t up to me to decide. Miron knew his brother far better than I did, and while I knew the future was inevitable, perhaps there was still something in the present that Miron could to do aid his people.
If the king had found a way to utilize my visions all these years, then maybe we could, too. I dug deep inside for any objections, but overall, I knew without a doubt that I trusted Miron. He could have easily threatened me like his father or used my powers against Conan. He deserved to know the truth. It was the least I could do for a friend.
My heart burned with regretful pain as I retrieved the second paper from the envelope.Will he be angry at me for not telling him sooner?I hesitated for a moment, and stared brokenly at the blank paper. My hands stiffened as I grabbed a quill and a small jar of ink from my shelf and settled them onto a flat surface.
I can’t change the past, and I’ve already pre-determined his future. The only thing I can give Miron now is my honesty in the present and hope it’s enough.
With a calming breath, I pressed my quill to the paper and I told him everything. I told my only friend that he would attack me, and then he would die.
“I have a proposition for you, Father.” Prince Conan slid into the chair opposite his father’s desk. The king glared with scathing eyes at his casual demeanor. The prince merely flashed his father a cocky smile as he leaned back into the leather-bound chair. “You’ve made it clear that this ‘crystal ball’ of yours has been... malfunctioning, as you say?”
The king crossed his arms against his broad chest and grunted. “For the moment, yes, but I intend to sway it to be more... accommodating if necessary. I intend to check on its progress this afternoon to gage if any further...persuasionis required.” The king’s eyes flicked venomously as his teeth gritted in irritation.
“That all sounds terribly bothersome.” Conan’s smile twitched eagerly. “Wouldn’t it be easier if it simply obeyed your commands?” The prince added wryly.
The king arched his brow impatiently, deepening his scowl. “It will obey my commands. It simply needs to be trained with a bit more discipline. Even an obedient dog will stray from its master when teased with a bone. I shall simply remind the dog whose cage it lives in.” The ornate office shadowed as a cloud passed, blocking out the soft morning glow from the narrow windows.
The dim light darkened the prince’s smile, giving his grin an impish aura. “But what if the dog never needed to be trained? Wouldn’t it be far more convenient if you didn’t have to rely on a meager pet to perform your wishes?” Conan’s brow raised with taunting intrigue as his father pressed his lips into a fine line.
The king narrowed his gaze, only allowing small slits of his indignant glare to pierce through his son. “What are you getting at, Conan? Spit it out already.”
Conan’s smile muted into a serious visage. “I have been doing some research on those documents you so kindly provided me. It would seem there’s a very talented enchanter amongst our collection who could make it impossible for your little crystal to defy you.” The cloud slid away from the sun and a beam of light strayed directly into the prince’s soulless eyes, reflecting their black color as vividly as the obsidian floor.
The king’s expression held a hint of admiration, but vanished quickly as his stark grimace returned. “What do you need to accomplish this?” His fingers curiously tapped against his burly arm.
Conan flashed him a pearly sideways grin. “I require the key to the more... restricted parts of the palace.”
The king scoffed, then slid the top drawer of his desk open and produced a brass key. “Here, this should work just fine.” He slid the key across the table and Conan caught it without a single glance. His focus remained on his father with a skeptical furrow of his brow. The king laughed. “Take it; it will work. The truth is, the key doesn’t matter...it’s the lock that keeps them in.”
chapter fifteen
I anxiously combed my fingers through my silvery tresses as I paced the tower from wall to wall. The black strands had lightened in a few spots since I first discovered them yesterday, but they still littered my hair sporadically. As I paced, I shifted between stroking my hair and twisting my midnight blue skirt.
The king never visited yesterday... I had chosen to wear the stunning blue gown to aid in my confidence when facing him, and I had listened to nothing but silent halls and the light breeze from my window all night long.
Had he forgotten me?It seemed unlikely, considering how determined he had been to regain access to my magic. Perhaps he wanted to catch me off guard again? If that was his intention, then he was well on his way to succeed, but what was I going to do if Miron visited at the same time?
My palms dampened and I wiped them on my skirt in a very unladylike manner. As I continued to wear holes in the floor with my slippers, I paused in front of my mirror and grimaced at the haggard reflection. The long satin gown hugged my curves in a flattering manner and was adorned with small iridescent pearls that shimmered in sync with my silver hair. The long sleeves were currently scrunched up around my wrists, where my palms had been nervously tugging at them.
But I was a complete disaster from the neck up. My tired eyes had sunken into my skull, allowing deep shadows to set in beneath my lashes. The intricate braid I wove yesterday morning was frayed and fuzzy after my constant petting and combing all night. I sat with an exhausted huff in front of the mirror and unwound the braid for a proper brush. The task helped refocus my nervous energy for a little while, so I took my time with each long brush stroke.
Would Miron even visit today?
I fretted over the letter all night long. A few hours after I had slipped it under the door, I heard a servant collect the note from the other side of the wall.Had I done the right thing?The more I thought about it, the more I was set on the idea that I didn’t regret telling him the truth. Miron deserved to know his fate, and it was wrong of me to keep it from him for so long.