The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

29 | A Hefty Price

The cold night air was putrid despite its freshness.

Kill it. Wyrn'd told his mother to kill a fairy.

His feet took him to Bluebell's pen. Her pregnancy was more obvious now.

He wondered how his mother would kill the thing. They could no longer let it go, not after what Wyrn had done. And she couldn't cause the death directly because that would come back to her.

Perhaps Wyrn should go back and break its neck.

The thought nauseated him. But he had to be the one to do it so the retribution wouldn't be visited on anyone else.

Bluebell stood in companionable silence with the bastard mule from the princess.

Wyrn felt hollow at seeing them at first, but finally, he was happy and satisfied. He hung his head, eyes closed, and let out a slow exhale, trying to understand what had happened and how his life'd come to this.

Finally, he looked out at the fading sunlight and made peace with one fact. The princess was gone, and she was never coming back. And all the hurt he gave others wouldn't change that.

Maybe she'd been right to leave him. He deserved nothing less.

Night had come by the time he made up his mind what to do.

Prince and fairy, he'd let them go.

And then he'd grow big enough and allow them to take their revenge.

He stepped into the house to find a crowd long formed before his arrival.

Father was dressed for battle. The table, turned up, revealing the coffin below, was empty.

Wyrn imagined all that was left of his insides shriveling up and dying. He'd come to let the bastard go...but he was already gone. And now Wyrn looked like a proper fool.

Bonn, armed to the teeth, tore his gaze away from the hollow space and focused directly on Wyrn.

"There was a stench of a human down by the river yesterday. I'd thought nothing of it. But if he's in that forest, he won't get far."

"But how can that be?" someone asked. "If he was gone, who was banging all this time?"

No one had an answer. While Father, strong arms folded over his slight gut, watched the empty makeshift prison, Bonn watched Wyrn.

"Brother, you're to be the leader one day. What do we do? They're likely lost in that forest. We're sure to find them. There's nothing on the opposite side. They must know that by now."

Despite his words, Wyrn could find nothing to offer at first.

Finally, he said, "Find them."

Bonn hefted his sword. "And?"

"Drive the prince to his end. Let him take his own life with a trick." He anticipated his brother's word and cut him off saying, "As for the princess, I no longer care what you do with her."

Everyone traded a glance. Bonn slamming down the table set the crowd in motion. They filed out of the room, charging into the night.

All but Father who sat at his usual spot.

The moment Wyrn's brothers had raced out, Wyrn had felt powerful and respected.

His father did not participate.

Instead, he sat, thoughtful, and Wyrn knew then that he'd done something wrong. But he couldn't say what.

He'd been strong and steady. He hadn't begged anyone to spare her. In fact, he was acting like a proper giant for once.