Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

When Bridget and Alberich caught up with him just outside the palace, Jai was cleaning off the sword he'd kept hidden in his saddlebags. It was the sword he brought to Escarral the year before as Amory. Lyv would have recognized it immediately as being the one she'd seen him wield multiple times. Now, he wasn't bothering with other swords anymore. This one was tailor-made for him, allowing him to focus his magic into the blade as if it were an extension of his own arm.

He wasn't prepared for what the lord and lady told him. He'd already cut off any emotion, having just watched his guardsmen load his brother's body onto the ship they would be sailing back to Ayveri.

"You know that room you've been drawn to these past two decades, especially since I almost threw you out of Asturia when I caught you trying to go in?" Bridget asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I give you permission to go now...because someone wants to talk to you there."

He didn't move, even as she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Or even when Alberich nodded and shook his hand. He just stared up at the part of the palace no one ever stepped foot in...and saw Lyv standing on the balcony of the mysterious room, looking out into the city. After putting his sword and other things securely away, he headed inside.

Gods, this was it. He had to admit he didn't think it would have been so soon after the truth came out about him being Amory. She'd walked away from him, from them all, the day before. With every step he took toward the palace doors, he was preparing himself for the wrath Gideon had always promised she'd rain down upon him.

And he passed her oath-sworn warrior in the hallway, stopping to only have a short but meaningful conversation.

Jai hesitated, shifting his weight back and forth between his boots. "Has she been all right today? I know she's been out in the city..."

Gideon nodded, pulling the bag he was carrying over his shoulder. "She's kept herself busy with Bridget and Thia, but I've been close behind the whole day. And we finally talked a little while ago. Of course, she was hurt by what we kept from her...but if she was able to forgive me for it, maybe she'll be able to do the same for you. Like we both said to each other just a little while ago, we want to hate you, but we're both having a hard time at doing it."

Hope blossomed in his chest. "So, does that mean...?"

"Even though it was as Amory, she has never stopped loving you, Jai," his best friend told him. "And though she is trying her hardest to hate you, she can't. I think she's finally realized that getting you back, though in an unconventional way, is a blessing. And after all of this pain and heartbreak...and with Destan...I hope you both realized all he wanted was for you two to be happy. And he put his life on the line to protect you. Don't let his sacrifice be in vain."

Jai dropped his head, the pain of Destan's loss crashing into him, but he held it together. He had to be strong for his sister, his baby brother, his people, and for his parents, who would have just received the raven carrying the news that one of their children had just been killed, murdered. These next few weeks would be the hardest, the months would make it easier for him to accept, and the years would allow him to look back and smile. But it had only been a day...and Jai felt like he couldn't handle it all and was about to break down.

He almost did when Gideon stepped up to hug him tightly, but he returned it whole-heartedly.

"I'm sorry, Jai," Gideon told him. "I'm sorry for keeping you from going back to Lyv to tell her the truth, I'm sorry for Destan...I'm sorry for everything."