Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 119158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Had Nylian known this entire time that this was the body of Victor Montcroix?
The second son of the King of Edros was a brutal and vicious man who’d made no attempts to hide that he wanted to conquer all of Wolfrest and destroy that kingdom’s royal family. Thankfully, Victor’s older brother, Rufus, was next in line for the throne, and he was far more sensible than his younger brother.
But that didn’t mean Victor couldn’t have had a hand in Orian’s murder.
The problem was that I had no idea if Victor had done it or not.
In fact, there was a chance Nylian might have more information about that than I did.
Yet, that moment in the stream.
And rescuing him from the tavern brawl.
And all the fucking conversations we’d had while on the road.
The laughs we’d shared.
Had it all been fake? Had Nylian been lying to my face just to get the truth out of me?
Gritting my teeth, I gave myself a hard mental slap. I needed to pull my shit together and get a handle on this situation. The first problem was the man who’d been following me. I had to get rid of him, while also sneaking a little information out of him, preferably without him realizing that I wasn’t the real Prince Victor.
Only after this man was gone could I try to do some damage control with Nylian, not that I could even guess at what I would say to him.
I shoved away from the wall, marched toward the cowering man, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and forced him to backpedal a few steps to put some distance between him and Nylian. “What the hell are you doing, following me?” I snarled, trying to summon up my deepest, most frightening voice when I was also quaking in fear.
“I-I-I was afraid for your life, Your Highness. After the ogres separated us, your personal guards and I have been searching everywhere for you.”
Could the same ogres who’d attacked Nylian and me have also attacked Victor? Had the prince died in the attack, allowing for my soul to get sucked into his body?
Later. Those were questions for later.
“Call off the search. You’ve found me. My new friend gave me a hand, and now I’m returning the favor by running a small errand with him,” I ordered, grinding the words between my teeth.
The man’s face twisted up, and it looked as if his pale-brown eyes were going to bulge right out of their sockets. “But…but…but…”
“Call it off!” I tossed him into the opposite wall, slamming his head and shoulders into the unforgiving bricks. “I have business to attend to alone. Come find me in two days to give me an update on what’s happening in Gushan. Afterward, I’ll be leaving Riverhold.”
His thin-lipped mouth opened for a heartbeat as if he were planning to argue, but he shut it and bowed. “Yes, Your Highness. Forgive me for disturbing you.” He took a few stumbling steps, scraping against the wall as he moved away.
Just as he was about to disappear into the deeper shadows, a new thought occurred to me that would solve a different problem that still plagued us. “Wait! I’m low on funds. The journey here required that I hire mercenaries for an escort and they need to be paid. I don’t have enough funds.”
The man who was likely a servant or even my personal assistant edged closer. For a heartbeat, he stared at me as if I’d lost my mind, but he schooled his features quickly. “Your Highness could go to any bank in Edros, show his signet ring, and take out a draft from the royal coffers. Or if you wish me to—”
“No,” I snapped, cutting him off. “I’ll handle it. You may go now.”
With one last bow, the man scurried down the alley as if he were in danger of being struck by lightning if he tarried a moment longer.
As soon as he was gone, I exhaled heavily and leaned on the building, my knees almost giving out on me. What the ever-living fuck? Prince Victor Montcroix? Was I really Prince Victor Montcroix? This had to be the sickest joke I’d ever heard.
But it would explain why the guards had seemed to eyeball us extremely hard when we’d entered the city. I had thought it was that they recognized Nylian. It was more likely they’d recognized my face. And I’d been utterly oblivious. Fuck my luck.
“Your Highness,” Nylian drawled in my ear, sending a shiver along my spine.
Fixed one problem, at least temporarily, and a much bigger one was waiting in the shadows for me. This one I wasn’t sure I could fix. There was no way he was going to believe me, but I had to try. Whether Nylian wanted to admit it or not, he needed my help. And now that I knew I was supposed to be the second prince of Edros, I could be of even more assistance to him. Maybe.