Bridging the Ancient ✓

Chapter 38

"That was incredible!" I exclaim.

Renit smirks, shaking his head as he tosses the coins back and forth from one bloodied hand to the next. His gratitude doesn't last long as he winces from the broken nose and further injuries to his face. To add to the list, his muscles are sore from unexpected blows.

This time, we don't have to worry about anyone trying to steal Renit's winnings. After witnessing what he could do in the pits with his bare hands, taking out one of the toughest competitors in that place, no one would dare test him. Anyone we pass makes room for us and avoids bumping into our sides to feel for lumps of coins or valuables in our pockets.

I don't see the creepy man I spoke to either, he's since vacated the streets after I displayed my power to him. Although his face wasn't visible underneath that dark hood, I have no doubt his skin blanched in fear and somewhere deep inside his mind, he regretted trying to scare me in the first place.

"That wasn't the worst of them," Renit expresses. "I've had more brutal fights down in the pits. What you saw is merely a fraction of what I can do."

I snort. "That's confident."

The prince tries to laugh but is again plagued by his wounds. He has every right to be confident after going through years of training against his will. I believe there is more to him, in his skill and his strength when it comes to taking down the strongest and most notorious fighters Ducoria has to offer. He knocked his competitor out cold and didn't think twice about it, no hesitation. With the upper hand more than once, it was impossible for Renit to lose.

"Once I realized you were there, I couldn't allow myself to lose. Then I would look like a fool," Renit mocks.

I laugh, one of the most genuine laughs in a long time. Too long. "See, if I hadn't been there, you would have given up and lost all your winnings. It's all because of me that you won," I counter.

The prince flattens his stare, and for a second, I think he might be irritated that I joked about that. He could win without me, he could win even if there were five men coming at him from all directions. "Now that's confident," he says with a grin.

My heart flutters in my chest. We've had real conversations before, one of them being about Darlene and her importance to him but this one is the first we've had that involved laughter. And real laughter, not the sarcastic snort we both manage to make on more than one occasion during a conversation.

Hours ago, I couldn't stand the thought of being near him again because of what I confessed. My feelings, my longing to be with him in more than friendship. I thought that rejection would split us forever in a strong, stone wall that I couldn't break down no matter how hard I tried. Would it still be there if I hadn't cheered him on in the pits?

The crowd of ale-filled people that cheered for death is what brought the normalcy back to our relationship. I never should have confessed something like that in the first place while not knowing his feelings on the matter. I expected him to shrink away into that cold version of himself, the one I grew used to and believed was the only option but Renit seems...lighter. Higher than the clouds.

We take the winnings to the outskirts of Ducoria, on a small farm taking care of a few head of cattle and a small herd of goats. In the night, I spot only their figures as we approach the small cottage on two stories. This is the cleanest home I've seen so far but still; one part is sliding out from the rest and a side of the building is collapsed.

"This place has gone downhill since I've been here last," Renit sighs. "It's been fifty years or so."

One of the goats exclaims upon our arrival and Renit shoos is away with his hand. The animal skitters, returning to the rest of the herd and I have to bite my tongue to hold back laughter.

There aren't any other cottages out here, the closest one is a great distance down the dirt trail we took to get here. That one was vacated, the residents had long since moved out after the second floor caved in and rats had taken over what was left of the rubble. But this cottage is mostly intact, a true testament to what Renit has done for this family.

Renit points to a bush on the side of the house. "Go hide behind there. I'll be there in a second," he echoes.

I do as he asks without question, although I want so desperately to know why he doesn't show his face to a family that likely wants to know what happened to their daughter and everything Renit has done to avenge her. Words better saved or at a later time, I suppose.

I crouch behind the bush as the prince walks up the front door of the cottage and places the bag of coins on the stone step. He rasps his knuckles loudly against the surface and hops down the steps, jogging over to me and crouching low to fit his mass behind the leaves. No one will see us in the dark, not unless they come looking for who left this behind. Judging by what I've seen from the rest of Ducoria, they'll take what they can get without question.

We wait silently, holding our breath until the door creaks open. A woman sticks her head out into the night, squinting against the fog. I see the resemblance to Darlene, the acorn hair and the soft skin. But that's as far as the similarities go. "That's Darlene's mother," Renit whispers so close to my ear that chills spread across my skin.

The rest of the resemblance must belong to her father, then. Her mother's face is fuller, although still soft, Darlene had more of a sharp focus to offset her innocence.

She looks down to the steps, slowing her movements as she spots the large winnings sitting in front of her. At first, she doesn't move and instead looks out into the muddy street beyond. She thinks it's a trap. But then, realization spreads across her face and a wide smile broadens her cheeks. Darlene's smile.

Screaming for her husband, she takes the winnings in her arms and carries them inside the cottage and into the dark beyond. Renit's smile is small, full of the calm realization of what he's done to help a family in need. They lost their daughter too young, the prince believes that to be his fault, so he does what he can.

Laughter like I've never heard echoes through the cottage and then I hear a high-pitched squeal meant only to come from a child. Darlene's sibling, if she had any. Renit never said anything but his eyes are glossed when I look at him next. Whoever it is, he's aware.

"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up," I whisper as tears break out inside the cottage.

He doesn't disobey and we take the shadowed way home, out of the sight from those that wish to know Renit most.