The Witch's Retribution

Chapter 14

"Would you at least try to keep up?" Liam complained, glancing back at Xan who had fallen a good ways back. The sun burned high in the sky, and they had yet to see even a single deer or rabbit. Normally, the forest was teeming with them.

The servant stumbled over another vine and glared up at Liam. "I am trying."

"I'd hate to see what it's like if you weren't then." Liam muttered, holding back a wince when Xan tripped over what appeared to be his own feet and hit the ground hard. "Never mind"

"Ow."

Liam walked over to his clumsy servant and held out an impatient hand. It was really no surprise they hadn't found anything to hunt yet. "Here, you idiot."

Xan grabbed onto the gloved hand and winced as he was jerked back onto his feet. "Thanks." He dusted off his pants and hands, bits of grass and dirt sticking to his palms. "See anything worth murdering?"

"Yes." Liam replied. "You."

"Oh, ha ha, Sire." He blinked and looked around. "Why are we so close to Railark's border?"

Liam shrugged casually. "Hm, I wasn't aware we had wandered so far."

Xan narrowed his eyes. "Right."

"Since we're so close anyway, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stop and see Lily."

"Sire, I don't think--"

"Come on, Xan." He turned and began walking away, knowing Xan would follow.

"Shouldn't we at least go back for the horses?" Xan asked, jogging to keep up. They had left the horses tied to a couple of trees not too far back after Liam had decided it would be easier to hunt on foot. It hadn't made a difference with Xan crashing through the trees like he had.

"They'll be fine. We left them near a stream."

"Lily's going to think you don't trust her." Xan muttered as they stepped over Railark's border.

Liam could feel the change in the air almost immediately. He also noticed Xan worrying his bottom lip between his teeth to the point where he nearly drew blood. "When was the last time you were in Railark?"

Xan looked away. "Never. I was banished, remember? For something that happened before I was even born."

"What did your mother do?" Xan's startled eyes met Liam's, and the prince shrugged. "Lily told me a long time ago, but she never gave me the details."

Xan's eyes skittered away. "My mom got pregnant, and her father didn't want a bastard child around. S-she didn't have to leave, but in order for her to stay, I would've had to die."

"Why didn't she just say who your father was? That would have--" He was stopped by Xan's bitter laugh.

"I-It wasn't..." He bit his lip. "S-she didn't want..." He took a deep breath, his fingernails biting into his palms. "It wasn't something she wanted. She was ashamed of someone finding out, of having to say she was too weak to fight back."

Liam tensed with rage, realizing exactly what Xan was saying. "Would your grandfather not have understood?"

"I-I don't know. She was the oldest, so perhaps more was expected of her."

"You would've been king." The words were little more than a whisper.

Xan nodded then licked his lips. "Maybe."

Liam wanted to ask if Xan felt any bitterness at that. He had lost every bit of his birthright before he had even been born, and now he worked as a servant, the exact opposite of what he could have been. But he knew Xan didn't think that way.