A Court of Snow and Storms

22. Locked In Horror

The artwork above is not mine.

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    Wynter burst into the sitting room, heart pounding against his ribs. Kallias and Viviane rose, their eyes widening at the sight of him. Wynter was aware of the guards and servants who had followed him through the corridors of the Palace. None had moved to stop him since he arrived.

    "Wyn?" A smile spread across his mother's lips. "What are you doing here? Are you..."

    "When were you going to tell me?" Wynter demanded. Only a fraction of his mind was thinking rationally. He didn't care who overheard him. "When?"

    "Tell you what?" Kallias narrowed his eyes. His gaze flickered past Wynter and he heard the door swing shut.

    "You know what," Wynter growled, fixing a cold stare on Viviane. "Are you pregnant?" He inhaled deeply, but couldn't catch his mother's scent. She was shielded by Kallias' magic.

    Viviane's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find her voice. Kallias touched her shoulder. "Yes," Viviane admitted.

    Horror swept the last of the rationality from his mind. "Why didn't you tell me?" Wynter raked his fingers through his hair, trying to keep himself calm. "When were you going to tell me? Were you even planning to?"

    "How did you find out?" Kallias asked, not answering his questions. "Colette and your guards were under orders not to tell you."

    "They knew?" Wynter exclaimed. "Colette, Cyrus... They all knew?"

    "Who told you?"

    "No one told me! I overheard people talking about it on the streets. I learned from strangers, not my parents! When were you going to tell me? Did you even think about what this could mean for all of us, especially right now?"

    Kallias angled himself between Viviane and Wynter as she took a step towards him. "We were going to tell you," Viviane promised, her voice trembling. "But I wanted to tell you in person, and I knew you weren't ready to see me again. I wanted to wait until you were."

    "You should have told me regardless!" Wynter shouted.

    "I wanted you to find out when I knew you'd be happy about it."

    "Happy about it? I can't be happy about it! You might as well just order my execution and be done with it!" Wynter spat. He was being harsh. He knew he was, and yet, he couldn't stop the words from coming. "Melantha terrified our people and some of them are still scared. They're looking for someone to blame, and they've chosen me! How many times have you heard the people demand that you disown me? Demand that you have another child? Another Heir to replace me? You're giving them exactly what they want!"

    "We would never disown or replace you," Viviane protested.

    "When the people find out about this, they are going to turn on me! If you refuse their demands, I could wake up with my throat slit. A knife between my ribs. My home burning around me! They will replace me with my sibling! And if you don't listen to them, they might turn on you too. Did you ever think of that? Our people blame me for the deaths and desecration of their family members! They don't want me. They don't care about me! They will see this child as my replacement!"

    His eyes were burning as he blinked back bitter tears. Viviane reached for him, but Wynter jerked away. Kallias wrapped a protective arm around her, glaring at Wynter. "Why don't you go upstairs, Viv? I'll talk to Wynter."

    Viviane looked between the two of them, her blue eyes dim with concern. Finally, she pulled away from Kallias and left, not looking at Wynter again. The door opened and closed. Magic swirled around Kallias' fingertips as he shielded the room.