Bridging the Ancient ✓

Chapter 36

A chill snakes up my spine once we're back out on the street. "I officially hate this place," I begin. I don't want to venture anymore, I want the comfort and warmth of the inn room.

"You're thinking too much into it. They're choosing to live this way and the fighting pits generate the most income in Ducoria. Without them, most of these people would be dead," Renit defends.

"More than who has already died in those fighting pits?" I stare at him sidelong.

He rolls his eyes. "You don't fight to the death in the pits. That's not how it works."

I laugh, not at all finding it funny. "That doesn't make it any better!" Although I want to shout, I keep my voice down so I don't alert anyone we're walking down the smoke-lined street.

This is a side of Renit I have not yet discovered. An insane part of him that believes this is the place for him. The prince, the king's weapon, likes it here. Amongst the rotting stenches and the fighting people that would rather do anything other than live comfortably. They're...different. And Renit doesn't mind.

Renit is silent for a moment. "This is where I met Darlene," he says. I whip my stare to him and he keeps his straight ahead to avoid my eye. "She lived here and we met when I came to search for an escaped criminal."

"I thought she was a servant in the castle?" I ask.

"Who do you think gave her the job?" Renit retorts. "There was something about her that drew me in and she shouldn't have been in a place like this so I offered it and without hesitating, she took it. Left her family behind and started a new one in Mailan." He stuffs his hands in his pockets and finally looks at me.

Every time he talks about her, his eyes relax and his entire face softens. These memories are not always burdening. Sometimes, they're exactly what he needs to survive without guilt. He still believes he was the one that killed her—not the difference in their two powers. Anyone else would have survived but Darlene never stood a chance. Renit shouldn't blame himself for that.

"That's why this place is so special to me," Renit goes on to say. "These people here, they loved her and they cared for her. Darlene's family is still here, on the outskirts, and they live a hard life just as everyone else. I try to help them when I can but...we don't have enough coins." Renit scratches at the back of his head.

He opens the inn door for me and I nod my thanks before heading up the stairs to our huddled room. There are no words exchanged as he runs the bath water and peels his shirt over his head. The curtain hides most of what he does but I watch his powerful muscles as he removes his pants and slides into the tub.

Right now is not the time to confess what I've been feeling. Not after he told me everything about Darlene. I've been wanting something...more from Renit. Not just a friendship but I've realized that I want to be with him. And not because our powers have mingled to the point I don't want him to die, but because I genuinely care about the prince.

I don't know when I realized it. Maybe when we were captured by the rebels. But at some point, my heart shifted to care more than I ever should and there's no going back. I want so desperately to tell him but I know he doesn't feel the same way, not with Darlene lingering over his head as a constant reminder that if he loves again, he's vulnerable to lose again.

As his Grounding, I have no right to put him in that position. I was brought to Mailan so our powers could understand each other, not so we could fall in love. And I don't love him, not yet, but I can see myself loving him someday. Right now, I want to be with him. I want to show him that I do care.

I sit anxiously on the edge of the bed and stare towards the broken window as he gets out of the tub and dresses into a pair of dark pants and matching tunic. There's never any color variation, just dark and intimidating. Either that's a mask or he really doesn't like any other colors.