A Kingdom of Tales (Kingdom of Avenlea #1)

Chapter 6

I don't even realize tears are streaming down my cheeks until Miles crouches next to me, gently wiping them away. Why am I crying over this man? He's been nothing but a painful reminder of my loneliness. I sob at the thought. How different would I have been if he'd been an actual father?

I stand on wobbly feet, with Miles trying to steady me. I put a hand over the broken ribs, hoping for some support to ease the pain. It helps, if only slightly.

"What's wrong?" He asks, looking concerned.

"I think I broke a rib or two." I murmur. I wipe the tears staining my cheeks. Damian was not a man to cry over. I'd rather erase him from my memories altogether.

"Jasmine." Miles calls my name. I must've been lost in thought. I look up at him. "That man is not your father."

"What?" I manage to stutter out. How can he possibly know that? We met only a few hours ago. "What do you mean?"

"I know your father, and that is not him." He says it with confidence, which makes me lean toward believing him.

I'm so confused that I can't form a question in my head. Miles is a stranger I happened to meet on the street. Right? He couldn't have possibly known who I was before that meeting, other than seeing me in the photos they hang with every bounty poster.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head, Jas. I'll answer any questions you have, but first, we must get out of here. The last thing we need is a guard to see us standing over a dead body."

***

On our way to the harbor, Miles and I agree on a cover story. Being siblings is out of the question. Not only do we look very different, but my document's last name doesn't match his. The solution we come up with is to act engaged. Not yet married because, again, our last names don't match.

I peek at his papers to see that his name is James Griffin. Where have I heard this name?

We stop at a very sketchy building where Miles is renting an apartment to keep his belongings. I watch as he hands the keys back to the owner. She's an old woman who has to lean on the railings to keep from toppling. Her eyes meet mine, and they widen and then narrow like a hawk's eyes.

Great. This is exactly what I needed. She walks up to me and stops a fair distance away. I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow. She raises the top of a walking stick she was using to steady herself, to my eyes.

"You better not hurt James, young woman, or I'll send you to meet Nophine." She scowls at my unimpressed look. Nophine is the goddess of death, and if she had wanted me, she could've had me long ago. My eyes find Miles', where I find him laughing his ass off. It is good to know one of us finds this amusing. The standoff with the old woman becomes a tense exchange. The unsolicited warning becomes a harbinger of challenges awaiting our journey.

"Lady, I don't know what he told you, but hurting James is the last thing on my mind." I sigh dramatically. I use his document name that I saw earlier.

It is at that moment that I register where I heard that name.

***

"Griffin was the second of the eight to find love, following King Archeron," Melody explained. "Venus was the most beautiful woman in all of Avenlea. When Griffin saw her, he nearly fell to his knees, blinded by her beauty. He hurried to court her, afraid another man would beat him to it."

"He must've loved her very much, Melly." I said in awe.

"He did, and they married only a few weeks after they met. It was said to be the most beautiful ceremony, one that rivaled even the Kings." Melody said wistfully. "The king's ceremony was also a beautiful one. He married Lady Jasmine after the war, though he had officially started courting her before it. He wanted the world to witness their love."

"Lady Jasmine?" I was confused. I was only five at the time and couldn't comprehend someone else having my name.

"Yes. In fact, you're named after her. She was the most graceful, loving woman in Avenlea. It made sense that King Archeron wanted her as his queen. The entire kingdom loved her, and many still do, even the ones that haven't met her. The stories about her are enough to ignite the fiercest loyalty in people."

"Were all of the eight friends, Melody?" I asked.

"Yes. Griffin was Archeron's dearest friend. Their children were very close, too. James, Griffin's only child, was in love with Luna, Archeron's second child. That is, until Luna, at a young age, developed the deadly flu that took many lives in Avenlea."

"She died?"

"Yes, she did. She was the court's sweetheart, making anyone who met her love her. James was heartbroken and had vowed not to marry. That is, until Griffin arranged a marriage for him with Alara. James was adamant not to marry after his first love died, but he developed a friendship with Alara strong enough to convince him to marry her. He loved her, though not in the same way he loved Luna."

"How could he marry after Luna?" I was enraged. My soft, five-year-old heart could not take a betrayal like that.

"Alara was understanding of his love for Luna and never asked for more than friendship. They remained good friends."

"Time for bed, sweetheart." Bastian said.

"I want to know more." I whined.

"Tomorrow." Melody promised.