These Ivory Swords

| Chapter Five |

"How long?"

Ezre's voice chilled the walls of Sorein's containment.

"How long, what?" he grumbled, throwing his body into a sitting position.

Even if the king had very little patience, this was brazen of him.

Sorein had never known him to mirror the very impulsive behaviors he saw in Iliya. If the trait were linear, he wondered where it led. Barging into someone's rooms, demanding information from them, hiding key details from the high council all bode quite poorly.

"How long have you known Iliya?"

Sorein's brow raised. "Excuse me?"

Ezre huffed and rolled his eyes, fighting a desperation off he'd never seen. "I never asked, it never seemed pertinent but considering her connections are far and few between, I need to know how long you've been friends with my grand-daughter."

He fought his wit. Sarcasm wouldn't help either of them find Iliya and he could live without knowing why this hadn't warranted a knock first.

Sorein scratched the back of his head and considered for a moment. Her words from the dock haunted him.

"I need you to remember."

Iliya begged him, but he couldn't understand if this is what she meant. If she thought he'd forgotten their first encounter when she was young—albeit murky since the staff mentioned a bookshelf collapsing onto him– that could explain her misgivings. He couldn't remember much from that day.

Only her hiding behind the bookcases from Lord Alvero and his entourage.

He thought about their meeting near Winter Solstice—Iliya white as a sheet, eyeballing the punch table like she wanted to crawl under it. Sorein was sure he couldn't look much better.

They eased each other that night, walking until Iliya found the Celestial Tower and suggesting they hid inside.

"I've known your grand-daughter for twelve years, Ezre," he answered calmly. "We've been close for the last—"

Sorein interrupted himself, frowning.

"What is it?"

"Six," he murmured. "Eight, if you don't count our grievances."

The king's brows furrowed.

"When I told Destry she wasn't planning to seal herself, sir."

His wince said enough.

Sorein sighed sharply through his nose and met his golden gaze. "Is there something I can help you with, your highness?"

"I know you're tired, Sorein, but you might be the only person alive who knows how to find her."

He bit his tongue.

Sorein knew he shouldn't have eavesdropped. Even if no one was looking for her, outside of Rhydian.

"The guards are enamored with her after Solstice, I'm certain you'll have their full support to find her, Ezre."

The king was already shaking his head, pacing around the room. Thinking. He stopped in front of a tall, paned window that revealed half a hedge maze and a swooping willow tree.

The garden's were her favorite place.

The guards, her mother, Siofra–even a fool knew that much.

"Where we'll have to go, I have no jurisdiction," he muttered, rage clenching his jaw shut. Ezre raked tense fingers through his hair and growled. "I need your help."