The Lost Heirs Vendetta

Chapter 37: Darian POV

What I said was true. If Brock hadn't told Amora to leave, I probably would have made her move and not with kind words. If she had stood here for even a minute longer trying to taunt Aleah, I would have punched her in the face and knocked her to the ground myself.

And then to go as far as blaming me for the attacks on the royals, calling me a murderer. If anyone knew that I wasn't behind these attacks, it was Aleah. She knows me better than anyone at this point. She probably knows me better than even myself.

I will be forever grateful to Brock. If I did something like that in front of everyone, I would probably find myself in the dungeons and if that were to happen... my mission would fail. I needed to remember that I wasn't here to marry Aleah. I was here to gather information on my brother's kidnapping. I was determined to find him and wouldn't leave this kingdom until I found him, even if that meant marrying Aleah which I found I didn't mind much anymore.

Now I am sitting across from her in the carriage and sitting next to Brock. We're shoulder to shoulder and things have gotten a little... awkward in the silence.

I watched as Aleah stared out the window. I wondered what she was thinking. I wanted so badly to jump into her head and read all of her thoughts. About the past, about today, about Amora... about me.

I wanted to know if she did actually love me or if what she was saying was true. That everything between us was a mistake and that we should just pretend none of it happened.

I would respect her judgment and decisions until the day I died. I would never push something like this onto her. But a part of me really wants to be with her and I know, deep down, part of her wants to be with me too. She's probably still scared to accept that since she's been told her entire life to fear me, to hate me.

I don't hate her though.

And after the events in the dungeon, when the man said that no one knew her. That no one knew one of their own princesses. That no one knew the person who was supposed to marry the prince of Trithia, it made me wonder if maybe that was for a reason.

It made me wonder if her parents were responsible. If they tried to hide her. Or maybe hide her abilities from the world or from her. But why?

Why would they hide her powers from her? Were they dangerous? I mean, I've never heard of any royals wielding Shadowfire before other than Prince Alexandros all those years ago. The only reason I know of him is because of my history books back in Trithia. They spoke of a man who destroyed his own kingdom with them.

Was that why her parents hid her so much? Was that why Amora teased her?

No. If Amora knew of Aleah's power, she wouldn't bother to go anywhere near her, let alone bully and taunt her.

I looked at the girl sitting across from me. I looked at how she sat with her legs crossed and her hands gently in her lap. The left side of her face was facing me since she was looking out the window to her right.

I decided to join her. Today was beautiful, the sky was the clearest it's been since I arrived.

As the ride went on and we entered the villages of the kingdom, I noticed how there was no one out today. Not even a single child out playing on the streets. I wondered if it was some sort of tradition that they do. The shutters were closed on the windows and flowers were displayed in front of almost every single house and building.

Not even the animals dared to make a sound on this beautiful yet sorrowful day.