Blood for her Crown

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ciden

They had just passed the Asfalá Mountain when Vayne stopped to look up at the sky. The clouds looked threatening, almost black. The rain had begun a while ago, but the strong wind was new. A storm was coming. Soon.

"We need to wait it out somewhere," Vayne explained. "If you died in that storm, Dyon would kill me."

Ciden had to admit that he'd rather die in that storm than at the hands of his own brother. But that didn't change anything. Vayne had already turned around.

"There is a cave system in the mountain. It should be safe enough."

Ciden didn't feel much like arguing again, so he followed silently.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a cave near the base of the mountain.

The way into the back of the cave went uphill. It wasn't steep, so they went up there, leading the horses by the reins.

Ciden had thought at first that they could have just stayed at the opening, but when he glanced down there an hour later, it was flooded.

He couldn't sleep, and he was very sure Vayne wouldn't either. He had bound Ciden's hands and legs, preventing him from fleeing, which he wouldn't have done anyhow. Still, Vayne wouldn't close his eyes unless Ciden was fast asleep.

His head was still pounding from when he had knocked him out. So much for bringing him back unharmed...

When he looked over, he saw Vayne staring at the wall and fiddling with his knife. He then looked down and focused on the blade. Ciden watched him for over half an hour, just turning and twirling the knife over and over. He wondered what he was thinking about just now. Was he still fighting the urge to kill him, or was the blade simply the only friend he had now that Dyon had turned into a monster? Ciden would almost feel bad for him if it was the latter.

Vayne and Dyon had been close once. They used to be best friends. Ciden still remembered being jealous of their bond. He'd had a friend of his own at one point, but it was never like their friendship.

Ciden had always gotten along with Vayne and had never understood how he could be friends with his brother. Dyon hadn't been this bad all the time; when he acknowledged Ciden and was nice to him, he actually used to be grateful to have him as a brother.

Then, almost out of nowhere, things got significantly worse. Dyon changed from the cruel big brother to the vengeful, evil prince. And as he changed, so did Vayne-from the kind friend of his brother to the servant who carried out every single one of Dyon's barbaric orders.

No, he really shouldn't have asked, but he did. "How did things get this bad?"

Vayne ignored him but Ciden was sure he knew what he meant.

"How could you have let it get this far?" he tried once more.

That struck him hard. Vayne threw away his knife and jumped up. In four long steps, he had reached Ciden and hauled him up by the throat. He struck him against the stone wall three times. Ciden was convinced that the back of his head was bleeding.

"You'd better watch what you're saying to me," Vayne warned, his eyes colder than ever before.

He really must have struck a nerve.

"Did you hear me?" Vayne yelled and shoved him against the wall once again.

Ciden could feel blood trickling down the back of his neck.

"Yes, I did," he spit out.

The wind was howling through the cave. The storm outside was louder than anything he'd ever heard. But it was nothing in comparison to the storm in Vayne's eyes.

He raised his arms in surrender. "Alright, I got it, okay?"

Vayne let go of him. "If you ever speak to me like that again, I don't care what Dyon asked of me. Believe me, I will beat you up, slice you open, and feed your body to the wolves. And then I'll deliver the few little pieces of you that have remained to your brother and tell him you got lost during the storm."

"He would kill you for that."

"Not if I look like I've been lost in the storm as well."

He couldn't believe it. Why would he go this far instead of running away from that life, as Ciden had done it? Who would put themselves in danger for someone like Dyon?

"Just go ahead and do what you want." He was sick of it. Nothing mattered anymore.

Vayne returned to his previous spot without saying anything else. The discussion was over.

The only sounds were the rain and the wind outside. He closed his eyes as he understood that nothing he did would prevent his death, which was already approaching in slow, agonizing steps.

Vayne

He had never wanted to kill someone so badly in his whole life of assassinating, fighting, torturing, and skinning people alive. All of these questions would get him nowhere, so why couldn't he leave him alone? The few words they had exchanged since he had found him were already too many. He hoped Dyon would let him have some of the fun as well once he was done with him.

Vayne himself didn't even know what Dyon had planned for Ciden. All he knew was that it would be pleasant to watch if he was allowed to.

He had liked the boy when they were younger, but that had faded. The only reason he hardly even tolerated Dyon was simply because he had no other choice. He used to think of them as friends, but now they were nothing more than master and servant. And he couldn't really complain about it. The payment was good, and all he had to do was get rid of his king's enemies or torture essential information out of some people. That left little space for complaint.

Vayne didn't usually enjoy his work, but when it came to Ciden, his hands were itching for the feeling of his warm blood on his skin. Ciden, Dyon, and he were most likely the only ones who knew what had happened in the Ammadon family over the years. This knowledge gave him many reasons to no longer consider Dyon a friend and a whole lot more reasons to hate Ciden more than any other person who tried to hurt his king.

That black-haired bitch was right behind him on the list.

He wondered what would happen if he told Ciden that he and his friends were probably only separated by a few stone walls, or possibly even connected by a tunnel.

Perhaps he should pay them a visit.

Two chapters in one day?😶 A miracle, I know, but this is a short one. Next one will hopefully be up in two or three days💗