Heart Of Darkness

Chapter 29

Rayven was surprised to see William coming to the training. He had thought he would take the day off after the tragic event with his father. He wondered how much he knew about his father's death.

They had to compel a few soldiers to believe they had found him dead and deliver the corpse to their home. Skender wanted to give them a chance to bury their father.

Humans grieve when they lose someone. Rayven didn't know what it felt like to lose someone. Only something. He never had close people in his life that he cared enough about or that cared enough about him. He has only ever loved himself. He only cared about himself. He was the definition of selfish.

He couldn't remember ever complimenting someone, consoling, or just helping someone. That was the kind of person he was. Now he just looked at William, not knowing what to say. But why did he feel like saying something?

William was training as usual. Rayven couldn't detect any emotion he knew as grief or sadness. This boy was a mystery.

When the training ended, the boy came to him. "My Lord, may I ask something?"

Rayven nodded.

"Will I be punished for someone else's sins?" He asked.

Rayven nodded again. "You probably will. People see your mistakes more than your good deeds."

"Are you being punished instead of someone else?"

"No. I am being punished for my deeds."

Rayven just realized what he had said. He was being punished for his deeds while this boy was going to be punished for something he didn't do.

"Were you close to your father?" He then asked.

Father?

"I don't have a father," Rayven said.

"Neither do I."

They looked at each other for a moment as if exchanging unspoken words before Rayven broke the silence.

"I'll take you home." He said.

He was going to take that road, anyway.

When they arrived in front of William's home, Rayven helped him get down from his horse.

"Thank you for taking me home, My Lord," William said faintly.

Rayven gave him a nod when he felt that scent he always avoided. He turned and found Angelica walking out of her house with a man by her side. Rayven knew him. Sir Shaw was on his list of people he hated the most.

Well, that list was complete, but he still found a place for him at the top.

Sir Shaw took Angelica's hand and kissed her knuckles, and she smiled at him.

Now he was the top one on the list.

Sir Shaw was a respected knight from a wealthy family and was good-looking. He was fitter for her; she needed a man now that her father was dead.

He turned around and climbed his horse when she looked his way. Without giving her a second look, he rode away.

It had been a mistake to go to her house. What had he been thinking? Never again would he make such a mistake.

He rode through the woods and then up the hill to his castle. Before entering his home, he had already sensed the other's presence.

Just when he wanted to be alone, they had to be here.