Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
“Not sure. They know if they’re recognized, they’ll be captured again. Might have gathered supplies and headed for somewhere new…like the Capital or another town along the way.”
“Gods, I hope you’re right.”
“I’m sure that I am. And I’ll help you find them.”
She had to tilt her chin back to look at me because of our height difference. It reminded me of the night when she was on her knees in my bedroom, and I had to drop my chin to my chest to watch her.
“Until then?”
“You’ll stay here until I can get away from Delacroix.”
“And if King Rutherford’s men come?”
“I’ll sneak you into the castle, and you can stay with me.”
“You don’t have to help me, Ryker. You already got us out of there. You don’t owe me anything else.”
“I’m not doing it out of obligation.” I was doing it for a much stronger reason than that. A reason I didn’t even understand.
Ivory returned to the room, bundled up with her face concealed. “I’m ready.”
I turned back to Effie. “I’ll come back when I can. Just sit tight.”
“Alright.” She turned to Ivory. “I hope you find what you need.”
“Me too.” Ivory moved in and embraced her with a big hug.
Effie did the same and placed her head on her shoulder as she gripped her tightly. “Good luck.”
“You too.” Ivory pulled away, and the two of us walked out the front door and back into the night. The walk was spent in silence, the flames of the torches loud every time we passed one. The temperature was mild, just borderline cold. Now when I glanced toward the cliff, I saw something else entirely. A whole new world.
“I think she’ll forgive you.”
I gave my sister a side look.
“Don’t throw in the towel just yet.”
“I don’t know… can’t exactly blame her.”
“The institution is at fault, not you.”
“She’s never looked at me the same since.”
“In her defense, she’s been struggling to survive every minute since she learned the truth. Reunite her with her family. I’m sure she’ll feel differently then.”
“Maybe.” When we were close to the castle, I put my arm around her waist and drew her close like she was a lover I’d bought for the night. The guards didn’t cast a second glance as I took her inside and to the stairs.
Guards were on watch throughout the castle all night long, but most of the hallways were cleared, especially the ones near her bedchamber since she was no longer in there. When we were alone, I whispered. “Are you going to the library now? Or in the morning?”
“Let me get everything I need now so I can work in my bedroom.”
We approached the doors to the library then snuck inside. It was dusty and abandoned—exactly as I remembered it. The lights were flicked on, and the frosted windows near the front filled with a glow.
Ivory got right to work. She went down the shelves with her lantern held high, reading the spines as she searched for what she needed.
I stood there and waited, feeling as if I were torn in half right down the middle. I wasn’t sure how she was helping the Runes, but I was certain it was something to help my father lose his place on the throne. I was a simple man with simple ideologies, but my world was no longer simple.
Ivory started to stack the books on the table. “I think these could be helpful…” She grabbed a couple more, making a stack of five textbooks. “Now I know why these are in here and no one knows about them.”
“Why?”
“Because our family didn’t create this library. The ancestors of the Rolfes did.” Once she had all her books, she scooped them up and leaned them against her chest as she moved toward the door. “All the paintings on the walls…not our family.”
I had to confront my father about everything she’d told me, but now I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to hear it from his mouth, that we weren’t an ancient family that founded this land and made it our own, that we didn’t have the blood of kings. We had the blood of thieves. The blood of conquerors. Of rapists.
“Ryker?”
My eyes shifted back to hers.
“You okay?”
“Yeah…was just thinking about something.”
“Well, can you stop thinking and get the door?” She nodded to the mahogany wood because her hands were occupied holding the stack of books.
I poked my head outside, made sure the coast was clear, and then we snuck down the hallway toward her room. The guards weren’t posted in this quadrant of the castle during the night, not when there was nothing to protect. We made it to her bedchamber, a door I’d looked at countless times with dread. I hadn’t stepped inside it after she’d left. It would just hurt too much.
The door was unlocked, so we stepped inside.