Hila considered Tomas’s question silently, but before she could answer, their conversation was interrupted. Tomas heard a voice come from the tavern door behind.
“Tomas, it’s time to go now. Captain’s orders.” He turned to see Rilan standing with Landry at the back steps to the garden.
Tomas felt a wave of disappointment. He would have stayed with Hila all night if he could, just talking to her. He studied her curls, her curious eyes, her freckled face, trying to memorise it all.
“Well, for what it’s worth, it was lovely speaking with you, Tomas from Brittlepeak,” Hila said.
“And you as well, Hila from Winterglade.”
“Any chance you will be coming back through town?”
“I don’t know.”
Hila nodded. It was probably just as a rare an occurrence for her to connect with someone who seemed to respect her and wanted to listen to her as it was for Tomas. The two knew in that moment that their conversation had been genuine and special.
“If you’re ever in town, come find me. I’ll be here.”
Hila leant in and kissed Tomas on the cheek. He felt his face get hot and his lungs tighten.
“Thanks for the lovely conversation, Ser Tomas of Brittlepeak,” she joked, before gently punching him in the shoulder.
Tomas smiled, looking down at his feet before taking in the barmaid’s overwhelming presence one last time. “It was my pleasure, Hila of Winterglade.”
“And thanks for sticking up for me earlier on.”
Hila tightened her the straps of her apron before squeezing between Rilan and Landry who stood like sentries in the doorway. As she stepped back into the tavern, Hila turned back to Tomas one last time.
“I hope you find what you are looking for, Tomas.”
Tomas waved to her as she went back indoors. He took one last glimpse of the starry night sky and the streaking red star above. He felt as if the sky were almost mocking him- such a wide-open vastness, full of endless possibilities, almost teasing him.
Why couldn’t his life be like the sky?
Even with his newfound freedom, freedom from Brittlepeak, freedom from his father, freedom to discover more of the world around him and explore who he wanted to be, Tomas had never felt so stuck.
Chapter 20 - Hunter’s Bane
Katryna Bower stormed into the royal physician’s private quarters, slamming the thick oak door shut behind her. The room smelt stale. Closing the door so suddenly made some of the pieces of parchment and paper on Jerrem Denar’s ornate desk go flying and a candle blow out.
The royal physician, Jerrem Denar, was hunched at an alchemist bench, an empty potion bottle in one hand and a cluster of herbs in the other.
With him were Katryna’s brothers, Rowan and Finnigan.
Katryna slammed her fist against the solid table, causing Jerrem Denar to jump and glass vials to jingle. Rowan barely batted an eye, while Finn looked at his sister with concern.
“Did you know?” Katryna boomed. She stared straight at Rowan; her trembling finger pointed right at his face.
Jerrem Denar raised his hands, attempting to calm the princess. “My lady, is everything al-”
“Did you know about the prince from Ember?” Katryna did not blink, her eyes remaining locked on Rowan’s.
Finn and the royal physician turned and looked at Rowan, waiting for his reply. Jerrem Denar lowered himself into his old chair.
“Kat, what’s going on?” Finn asked.
Strands of hair stuck to the sweat dripping from her face. “Father was making plans to marry me off to Prince Tesh from Ember, upon my return to Camridia.”
Finn gulped. “What? That can’t be. Father would never do such a thing without-“
“It’s true,” Katryna spat. “That was the purpose of the diplomats visiting Ravenrock, wasn’t it, Rowan? To offer the terms for a betrothal?”
Rowan nodded, unblinking. “It’s true.”
Finn spun around to his brother, mouth agape. “Rowan?”
Katryna felt a surge of deep, insidious anger raging like an inferno inside. Rowan had always hated Katryna for her role in Willem’s death, treated her as if she were a leech to their House. Like a foul, uncleanable stain.
Katryna only managed to speak one word as she held back tears. “Why?”
Rowan stood tall and confidently. “I will be king one day, and I want my alliances to be strong. Ember is a valuable asset and our closest neighbour, one which I intend to keep close to the crown.”
“Why me?”
Rowan huffed, crossing his arms. “Word reached me some time ago that during the Riddles’ royal visit from Lyrmark to Ember, Prince Tesh had become somewhat infatuated with Princess Awara Riddle. Reports stated that they had been seen holding hands and caressing one-another while walking the beaches of Aurora.
“I could not risk the only royal child of Ember being wasted by marrying a Riddle! Could you imagine! Our closest bordering neighbour, marrying one of those scheming rats? So, I made a pre-emptive move.”
Katryna shook her head and repeated her question. “Why me?”
Rowan shrugged. “I figured we may as well put you to some good use. You are a Bower. You have Bower blood in your veins. That name means something, and I intend for it to remain that way when I become king. So rather than have you wasting away in Redwatch, I convinced father to consider sending word to you to come home and marry Prince Tesh upon your return. This, of course, was before he and mother were poisoned. As if fate will your homecoming, one way or another.”
Jerrem Denar slowly forced himself up from his groaning chair, stepping in. “I think what the prince is trying to say is that he wanted to maintain peace and prosperity between Camridia and Ember. Matrimony is an old and successful way of strengthening bonds between families.”
“Do not lecture me on how the men of this kingdom use women as their political
