**Sorry this chapter is a few days late, I had to move houses unexpectedly this week.
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Thanks for your patience!
Xx Ren
P.S. what do you think of the new cover? It was my first attempt at cover making so be brutally honest!
A Terrible Riddle
The summons to my father's study before training the following morning was not a promising sign.
My palms were sweaty as I knocked against the deep, cherry wood. What could be so important that it couldn't wait until after training? Had the council made their decision already? Summer solstice was still months away, but had they decided they didn't need the extra time after all?
"Come in," came my father's muffled voice from behind the door.
I pushed it open, hesitant, "You asked to see me?"
My eyes landed on his disheveled form, slumping back in his chair, and my steps faltered. His black hair was sticking up at odd ends, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Most concerning, he was still wearing his fine, if not slightly rumpled, clothing from the ball, as if he had been up all night dealing with something. I slowly crossed to his desk, perching uneasily on the seat opposite him, stomach sinking. He sighed, running a hand down his face, "There was an attack in Merona last night."
My brows drew together in confusion, "In Merona?"
He nodded, expression grim. "It was early in the evening, while we were all celebrating."
"But our men in Siverno–" I began, only to be cut off.
"Didn't encounter a single soul the entire night. The attack was focused entirely on Merona."
The breath went out of me like a punch to the gut. I was the one who told them to protect Siverno. It was my information that placed our men in the wrong location. My voice came out strange, even to my own ears, "How many casualties?"
For a moment, it looked like he wasn't going to answer.
"How many?" I pressed.
"Sixty-three dead."
My heart dropped to my toes. "And injured?"
The way his lips formed a grim line was all the answer I needed. There were none. Every human in Merona who had encountered the Blood Fangs had met the same fate. I sank farther into my seat.
My father gave me a moment to process the news. When I looked back up at him, his worn expression had been replaced by the one Franco and I had once dubbed 'King Face'. "It was your information from your secret source that put our men in Siverno. Either they knew of our plans to counter their attack and changed targets, or you were fed faulty information from the start. You asked me to trust you, and I do, but I need you to be one hundred percent certain that you can trust your source. Could it be possible that you are being double-crossed?"
Yes, the answer came unbidden to my mind. It was always a possibility that Angelo could be playing me for a fool. So, why did the thought hurt so bad?
I was reluctant to admit to myself that I knew the answer. Against my better judgement, I had begun to let myself fall for his charm
"I thought I could trust them," I turned my head down, "I'll reevaluate."
He nodded once.
It was silent for a while. He hadn't dismissed me, so I could only sit there in anticipation of what was to come next. I kept my chin tilted down, eyes on the desk between us. Sixty-three dead. I felt the weight of that number settle onto my shoulders.
When he spoke, his voice was softer than expected, "You did not kill them."
I slowly lifted my gaze to his.
"They killed our people," his eyes were hard, but the anger was not directed toward me, "but we can avenge them."
I could only nod, not trusting my voice.
A moment later he spoke again and the fire had slipped from his eyes. "It never does get easier, though, I'm afraid," a sad smile found its way to his lips. "As rulers, our subjects are sort of like our children, in a way. We are just as responsible for their welfare as we are that of our own blood. It is far too easy to take the loss of any single one of them as a personal failing, but you must remember that it was not your fist. It was not your blade. It was not your teeth. You did not do this." His hand went to the back of his neck as he stood, rubbing the skin there wearily, "Matteo and I will be out today taking care of matters, you have the day off. Try to rest and remember what I said."
With those final words, the strode from the room, leaving me alone in the quiet study.
~*~
I couldn't rest.
When Angelo found me pacing beneath the willow tree, a look of apprehension crossed his features. Good, I thought.
I had been pacing there for hours, agitated and beyond restless. My father's words from his study ran on repeat in my head. Either they knew of our plans to counter their attack and changed targets, or you were fed faulty information from the start.
Would Angelo do that to me? Was I right not to trust him when we first met?
My eyes met his and whatever he saw in them made him halt his approach short. I didn't waste time with pleasantries, "You lied to me."
His head tilted as his brows drew together. He took a few tentative steps toward me. "Oh?"
I crossed my arms over my chest defensively at his advance, "Where turquoise waters meet onyx spotted shores," I recited, "where memories of times long ago crumble to dust on the wind, where rues dance in the meadow under the moonlight. There, the wolves will come to play their bloody game–"
"On the night where the moon casts no shadow," he finished for me, "I remember it well." It was a clue he had given me nearly a week ago.
"Then why was Merona attacked last night and not Siverno?" I demanded.
"Siverno?"
"Yes, Siverno," I stressed, "'turquoise waters meet onyx spotted shores', the Osaro Beaches in Siverno are well known for their black sand beaches and clear, turquoise waters."
His head tilted again, "The river that runs alongside Merona is named Turquoise, is it not? And because of the nearby volcano, the locals enjoy strolling along the shore to collect obsidian among the rocks." Onyx spotted shores.
I swallowed. "And the crumbling ruins?"
"I suppose that was a bit vague," he admitted with a sheepish smile that did nothing to lessen the glare in my eyes. "Your entire kingdom is littered in ruins from the human civilizations, I shouldn't have expected you to deduce Merona from that, I apologize."
My eyes narrowed. "Siverno has an annual festival called the Dance of the Rues to honor the Goddess, that takes place in a large field at night under the moon."
He winced, "Second only to the obsidian shores on the River Turquoise, the fields of meadow rues that grow in late spring draw substantial tourism to the town, I've heard."
I stared at him. I had... misinterpreted it? He hadn't lied to me, or betrayed me to his father, I was simply not sharp enough to decipher his clue correctly? The realization hit harder than any blow I had ever received. Tears sprang to my eyes, but I choked them back. I had never cried in front of anyone but Franco or my parents in my entire life, and I did not intend to change that. Not even for him.
He took another small step toward me. "My entire riddle may have been a bit vague," he said quietly.
I looked up sharply, "It was a terrible riddle."
He put up his hands defensively, "I'm sorry, princess, I'll do better with my next one."
"People died, Angelo, sixty-three of them, and you're sorry?"
"Yes," he said simply, a pleading look in his eyes
"No," I snapped, "if you were truly sorry you would forgo all of this riddle and obscure clue nonsense and help me outright."
"You know why I can't do that," he implored.
I scoffed, "Because you can't betray your family?"
"They're my family," he insisted, "they're the only blood I have left."
"They're bloodthirsty, murderous monsters who would love to see me dead."
He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think they would hurt you," he said, voice soft, "you can shift."
"Oh?" I said on a sarcastic laugh, "You don't think they would hurt me? Forgive me if that news isn't terribly relieving when my mother would not be granted the same mercy. You've met her, tell me, does she deserve to die?"
He looked down, "No, I don't think she does."
That didn't make me feel better either. "I can't do this anymore."
He paused a moment, trying to catch my gaze in his, "What are you saying?"
I tilted my chin up to disguise my shattering heart, and looked him deep in those bright blue eyes.
"Our deal is off. Stay away from me."
~*~*~
Oof. Thoughts on that?
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Next Update: Wednesday August 5th!