The Emery Chronicles: The Red King's Romance (THIRD BOOK)

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen- Memory

Roux did not leave his room the next morning.

Neither did Carmine.

Meanwhile, the people of the community were busy flittering around, preparing for the wedding, and for the engagement party to take place that night. Nymphs hunted and gardened, hauling in fresh meat and picking vegetables of all kinds. Others trimmed trees and used their powers to grow flowers all around the clearing, making it look more wedding-worthy. Everyone was doing something, all of them excited for the wedding of their beloved Chief's daughter.

Edom was one such person, giving out orders and directions, telling cooks how the King liked his food prepared, which flowers made him sneeze, and anything else he had to take care of. Aviva watched him bustle around, advising and ordering, and in her mind she tried to imagine him dead.

Quiet, still. Unable to walk around and give orders as he was doing now. Dead. But somehow she could not picture it. Edom was bright, energetic; to imagine him dead was to imagine the sun going dark forever.

Oh, what was she thinking? This was the plan all along! She came here to do one thing: kill those closest to the Red King, and the Red King himself. There was no time to stop now; she had to do this for her parents, for her kingdom of Spring. For Finnian.

Finn. She hadn't thought of him in a while. Strange how he had been her constant thought for months after his death, her motivation to come here and carry out her mission. Now she gasped to herself as she remembered all this. She wasn't just taking revenge for Brigantia; she was taking it for Finn too. For the love of her life.

Edom stopped a moment from his work to wipe his brow. The hot sun was beating down on him, but he was still in high spirits and energy. He caught Aviva's eye and gave her a little wave and wink. Aviva waved back, smiling as she always did for him.

She knew what she had to do. The deed would be done. Tonight.

***

Roux tossed and turned in bed, his room hot and stuffy. It was past noon and he still did not want to leave his bed. He did not want to face the world, did not want to see the preparations for his engagement and have to remember what it all meant.

His stomach roiled, his face was warm, and his body shivered. He felt sick, but knew it was all just in his head, because he wished he was sick. If that were the case, he wouldn't have to go through with any engagement tonight. If he were sick enough, he may even have to go to his castle and be treated by his doctor. Then after sometime, he could send an apology to the nymphs, giving some sort of reason why he could not marry into them. And then he could continue life as the bachelor he was before all this mess began.

But just as he knew his sickness was all mind games, he knew this wouldn't happen. He had to stay, had to marry Loral. This was the best way to help his kingdom now; war was here, and there were no more second chances. Even if he did have to leave, there was no chance of him ever going back to the way things were before. He was not the same person anymore, he'd changed to become someone who would fit with someone else who had changed for him. He belonged to someone else now, and he could not take any of it back.

He cursed himself for all this mess. Cursed himself for what he had said to Carmine. He had been moody and confused, and his emotions had been in turmoil. He knew had to get rid of any feelings he had for Carmine, so he'd yelled at her, called her a child, more to convince himself she was just an irritating child rather than actually harangue her. But it hadn't worked; she was no longer a child for him, but a woman. Strong, beautiful; something he wanted but could never have.

"Would you wake up?" Edom barged in, interrupting Roux's thoughts.

"I'm not asleep," Roux retorted, not looking at his friend.

"I know. I mean wake up from your imaginations."

"What?" Roux sat up. "How did you know?"

"You're my brother," Edom came over and patted his shoulder. "And I know everything."

"I just can't go out there," Roux explained after a deep breath. "Please. Please do not make me leave here. Not now."

Edom looked at his friend closely, scrutinizing, but not in a negative way. Simply to understand him. He finally nodded his head and said, "Fine. But be prepared for tonight. There is no backing out then."

"Trust me," Roux sighed. "I know."