Sticks and Stones

Chapter Thirty-Two

The first week after Sofia left him was miserable. He should've never given her that chance in the first place. He'd known all along she'd only ever bring him hurt.

But he'd been stupid enough to think she could be good for him. That she wanted to be good for him. That she wanted them to have something together. He'd actually believed they could be good for each other.

And now look where that's gotten me.

He'd been wrong.

She dipped at the first sign of conflict. Rather than putting her foot down and being her own person, she did what her brother wanted. What her brother thought best. She didn't think about how it might hurt Caspian at all.

Dead to me.

He'd said she had one more chance. She'd never get another from him. He'd die first.

Dead to me.

The job was done.

Acceptance was painful. Sofia had been crafted to be everything he needed in life. His perfect woman. His perfect match. But he wasn't perfect for her. He wasn't what she wanted and so she wouldn't make the sacrifice.

Dead to me.

But he picked himself up. He'd always pick himself back up. That was the way of the world. He could either spin with it or get left behind.

At least he'd found something to keep himself busy. After all the drama of it, the King and new Queen of the werewolves had gone missing. Completely vanished from existence. The werewolves were getting antsy. Finding his allies gave him something to do.

Caspian threw himself into the hunt completely, eventually tracking suspicious traces of magic to a singular meadow in the mortal realm. With that information, Claudio dragged him out of his sea of endless self-pity.

"You're sure something happened around here?" Claudio asked.

The meadow was exactly what was to be expected from a meadow. Nothing but grass and wild flowers. But Cas said this was the place.

"I can't be certain," Caspian answered, sword at the ready just in case. "But when I was by the portal with Evette, there was this weird, disturbing crackle of energy in the air. I've been conferring with some witches who've put their all into tracking it. They managed to form an artefact that beat out a signal. I gave it to Seth the tracker and he gave me these co-ordinates."

"Can we trust him?"

"I don't think he's smart enough to double-cross us. Based on the energy outbursts, this is the most likely place they'll be."

Claudio raised his eyebrows. "You managed that quickly."

"It's all I've been thinking about."

"I despair for your social life."

"Who needs a social life when there's work to be done?" This work had been Caspian's lifeline. "I met a man recently who told me I have a big role to play in this war. I'm simply helping where I can."

Cas should've listened to the Crusader when he still had the chance. He'd also said Sofia wouldn't be by his side.

Look where I am now.

Claudio gave him a long look. "Something's off about you."

"You're overthinking it old man."

Claudio hummed, adding, "You'll be alright though."

Caspian's mouth dried out. A beat of silence passed before he spoke. "How do you know?"

"You always are. And you always have me by your side."