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Following the advisor’s meeting, I follow Reahgan from the hall. His footsteps are quick and heavy. He wants everyone to know he is coming.
I slither behind him as the phantom that I have now become.
This palace is huge, and I’ve explored maybe half of it. Reahgan walks through corridors I’ve never seen. He slips into a dark and narrow hall, leading to the far back of the building. A few hundred feet later, he stops.
He stands there for several heartbeats, not moving. Quiet.
Is he waiting for something? Or... did he sense something amiss? Something like me.
I work to keep my breathing under control.
Slowly, Reahgan turns. His devious silver eyes scan the hall, narrowed. He lifts his chin and sniffs. Ew. “Who are you?” he whispers.
I barely suppress a gasp.
He stands up straighter, expression falling back to the blank canvas he usually wears. “Follow me and die,” he says casually, confidently. Then he turns back and continues walking.
I don’t dare follow him.
***
FOLLOWING REAHGAN TURNED out to be a dead-end, but I do know somewhere he’ll be headed soon enough. And I’m never one to turn down an opportunity to spend time with Rev.
I quickly slink up to the third floor, down the hall and tap on Rev’s door. This is the third time in three days I’ve entered his room. I realize that any more, and he’ll grow suspicious. Who keeps knocking on his door and not coming in? Why does the door bounce open every time he tries to close it?
This might be the last time I can risk it without finding a new way.
But today, I’m willing to take the risk. Maybe part of me wants to be caught, wants Rev to see me here, hiding, desperately trying to find a way to save him and me both.
Rev sits at his desk, reading through another of his books peacefully. I sit on the ground in the corner of the room, wishing he’d read aloud. I want to hear his voice, his thoughts, what he’s learning.
Maybe an hour later, there’s another knock on the door. Rev groans. “What in the world?” he mumbles as he moves to answer it.
“Reahgan!” Rev says. My heart leaps to my throat, even though I’d expected it. I pull the shadows tighter over myself and sit as still as I can manage. “What are you doing here?” Rev asks.
“Your teachers brought up your classes during the meeting today.”
“Oh.” Rev flops down on his desk chair.
Reahgan walks forward slowly, deliberately, his hands behind his back. “You can’t keep doing this, you know. Father is not happy.”
Rev sighs. “Father is never happy. Not when it comes to me.”
“You are young. You’ve got a lot left to learn, about father especially.”
“Then teach me,” Rev says, his voice low, his eyes locked on his brother with an expression of adoration. Does he not see the arrogance in Reahgan’s stance? Does he not see his lip curled in annoyance? “You obviously have it all figured out. What am I missing?”
Reahgan smiles, and to my surprise it reaches his eyes. He places his hand on Rev’s shoulder gently. “I love you, little brother. But life will not be the same for you as it is me.”
“Well, duh. There’s only one High Court heir.”
Reahgan chuckles. “That’s not what I mean.”
“Then what? There’s no room in this family for me. Father wishes I wasn’t around. You’ve got all the important roles filled better than I ever could. What’s left for me?”
“You don’t have to be me. You need to find your own way.”
“What way?”
“You’re young still, Rev. You’ll figure it out.” Reahgan steps back and waves dismissively. “In the meantime, learn what you can from your teachers while you have them. And more importantly—I know you want to impress father, but let’s just start with doing the basics to not disappoint him.”
“Do you think if I went to every class and impressed every teacher daily, he wouldn’t find a reason to be disappointed in me?”
Reahgan chuckles. “I’m sure he would. But he treated me that way many times too. You were simply too young to remember my awkward stages.” He winks.
Rev groans.
“This is a hard week for you, I—” Reahgan stops midsentence and turns toward me. My eyes grow wide.
“What?” Rev asks.
Reahgan purses his lips and narrows his eyes. “Nothing. Look, Rev, I don’t want something bad to happen to you. Being a rebel right now, isn’t a good idea.”
“A rebel, are you serious?”
“It’s how Father sees it.” He shrugs, turning back to Rev casually. “Father isn’t...” Rev sighs. “You might not be the best heir...in his eyes... but you’re still my brother, and I’ll do what I must to protect you.”
Protect him? From his father? I wonder if that’s what he means. But then again, the fact that he has come very close to noticing me more than once...maybe he means me.
I’m on the cusp of the truth I need. The way to save Rev and me at the same time.
Reahgan marches from the room, leaving Rev with a confused expression.
Rev runs his fingers through his hair, leaving it adorably ruffed.
Even if I win this game against the Night Bringer, and I somehow find a way to kill someone in Rev’s place, will he think me a monster? I swallow, knowing without a doubt that’s true.
That’s my fate.
He doesn’t see me. He never will. Love wasn’t what I was after, so it shouldn’t feel like a betrayal that I’ll never have it. But my heart shatters at the thought of killing him. And aches at the thought of him hating me.
I can live with that, though. I’ll never be with him. I’ll never kiss him. This fae prince who, somehow, fate decided should be my lover.
My time will only last so long here, I’ve come to learn. The thorns on my wrist grow tighter and tighter, the skin is red and puffy. It may kill me eventually, I don’t know. But Reahgan is close to exposing me. So, I know I cannot keep my spy status forever. It will kill me. Unless I act.