Assassins Crown

Chapter 25

My father leads us out of the palace and out of the palace grounds. As we passed through the gate, there were no guards to stop us. In fact, I hadn't seen a single soldier, servant, or guard as we made it out.

    King Spencer hadn't interjected.

    I look back at the palace. It seems darker, more sinister than it was before. The spires threaten with their own personal promises of pain; the windows are black holes; the gates remind us of our freedom that we don't have.

    As I take my last look at the palace, I realize something.

    Even though Rosily judges me as I really am now, she has shown me something that I had not known of before: compassion. Compassion to do the right thing; compassion to not just be okay, but to be better; compassion to give people a chance.

    I'm not even close to being up to her level and I'm positive that I will never be, or would want to be, but it's a start. I have slowly let Winston, Rosily, and, for some reasons unknown, Aaron, come closer to me in no other way than ever before, without even knowing that I was doing it.

    Even with all the failings and risks, I realize that I would do it all over again in a heartbeat if I had the choice. I would never trade them away, never trade letting them into my heart, even if in the end it was filled with lies and betrayals.

    As I turn away from the palace, I make my own promise; a promise that runs deep in my blood and every thought. I don't say it out loud, but it is just as powerful. I look at Aaron beside me then look up at the black sky filled with stars.

    Some unknown power flourishes and grows through me; giving me strength.

Gifting me to do the right thing, to not be okay but to be better, to give them a chance.

            I will protect Aaron and keep him alive even if I have to die first to do it.

            I will kill Torian and those who have wronged me too many times.

            I will bring back the Crowned Prince.

I will fix my mess.

    I will find my freedom.

            And I will take what was given to me before I was even born.

The throne of the Assassins League is mine.