A Blaze in the Dark (A New Dawn #1)

Chapter 19 - Sebastian

He smiled Pride's smile as he reported burning down the town in my name, for my gain. He did so on his own accord. No payments or rewards were offered. 

"Seb, it's this way." Lana tugged at his hand, which she had insisted on holding while she gave him a tour around the castle. A light summer breeze caught at the deep green layers of her silk dress and swung her long pearl earrings against her cheek.

They left the royal garden and its rainbow of flowers behind them, and raced through one of the many corridors. With her taste of excessive jewellery and diamond-covered slippers, his cousin might as well have been a sister to Emily. When Uncle Tom had introduced them over a late breakfast of cinnamon buns in his office, Sebastian had already pictured her complaining to Aunt Crystal or Lady Viviane each morning that she had nothing to wear, even though her closet was filled with dresses in every possible shape and colour.

In reality, she had just as many quirky traits as Lucy. She hadn't climbed any of the trees in the garden, nor did he expect her to pull a spare sandwich out of her bosom, but the way she ran up the stairs—skipping every other step—could hardly be associated with the grace of a real Princess.

They entered a wide hall filled with grand statues and paintings in ornate frames. So many Kings of old stared down from the same elevated throne platform, wearing the same spiked crown and carrying a large iron broadsword. The only change throughout the ages was the amount of facial hair, and the clothes ranging from heavy armour to ridiculously poufy coats, and, finally, the stately grey uniform that Uncle Tom and General George favoured.

"Here it is. The statue of Lord Malcolm." Lana grinned widely, a teasing glint dancing in her eyes.

Sebastian frowned. It was just a life-sized marble horseman on a seven-foot pedestal; not even a King. "Who was he?"

"He defended the Port of Diligence from Jade Islandic pirates, but that's not important. Its recent history is far more interesting. Look." She pointed at a discoloured stump that had once been an arm. "Papa swears it was Uncle Bran who did that, but my old nanny confided in me that he was the one who tore it off. By accident, of course."

"Really?" Sebastian tried to imagine Father and Uncle Tom as children, running through the corridors as they duelled with wooden swords. It was hard; they still looked like miniature versions of their grown-up selves. "How come you know so much about them?"

"Lady Lizzy used to be their nanny too. She loved telling me about their adventures." Lana cleared her throat, changing her voice to that of a raspy old lady. "Oh, my dear Princess, how these halls have changed. We did not have a moment's rest with those two cubs creating havoc wherever they went. It didn't matter how many times your grandpapa tried to beat Bran's pigheadedness out of him, the boy always found new ways to cause mayhem. Your papa—little and sickly as he was—hopped behind him, talking his big brother into more tricks and shenanigans."

The hall filled with glee as Sebastian chuckled. He had to tell Father about this; remind him of the story each time he caught him and his friends in the act of a little mischief of their own. But he could not, for Father was dead. He would never see or speak to him again. The echo of his happiness still resounded against the walls, but his mouth was no longer laughing.

"I'm sorry." She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. "I didn't want to make you sad. We can talk about something else, if you wish."

"No, Father never talked much about himself. I've known him all my life, but at the same time, it's like I didn't know him at all." Sebastian bit the inside of his cheek. The story Uncle Tom had told him about Father giving up his right to rule couldn't be the whole truth either. Lady Viviane had mentioned that he might have been banished. "Is it because of all those pranks that he didn't become King?"