The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology, #1)(92)

“Do you have brothers, Lord Alvi?”

“I do.”

“Would you not have saved any one of them in that situation?”

His eyebrows smoothed in confidence. “I was bound by my duty to kill the beast. Any one of my brothers would have understood that and wanted me to forsake his life to claim the slay. For the honor of our family.”

Aerity had heard tell of the honor-bound attitudes of the coldlands people. She’d always thought it a romantic ideal, to be so sacrificial for one’s family and land, that is, until now.

“I respect our differences, Lord Alvi, and I hope you can, as well. Here in Lochlanach we choose to honor individual lives over family glory.”

Lord Alvi gave a small nod. “So I’ve gathered.”

Aerity swallowed and stepped back.

“Very well,” Lord Alvi said quietly. “I shall leave you until the betrothal ceremony.” He watched her curiously a moment longer.

Aerity gave a curtsy as he left. She stood there, alone, and suddenly cold as stone at the thought of entering the High Hall. It would be filled with smiling faces—hunters and royals that had traveled down from the coldlands, all of her family and Lochlanach’s elite. Aerity pressed a hand over her mouth, afraid she might be sick. With her other hand she gathered the front of her dress and ran from the room toward the only person in the castle she could stomach seeing at that moment—the only person she felt would understand what she’d lost.

She ran, her slippered feet sliding on the smooth stone. She took the spiraled steps up two at a time, panting when she reached the top. The guard stepped aside. When she knocked on the wooden door, her knuckles were numb from holding her skirts so tightly.

Mrs. Rathbrook opened the door, her eyes wide. “Princess Aerity! What in Eurona is the matter? Shouldn’t you be at the ceremony now?”

“I—I don’t . . .” Aerity lowered her voice to a whisper. “Paxton Seabolt . . .” They both glanced at the guard, who stared straight ahead at the staircase.

Mrs. Rathbrook grasped her by the elbow and gently pulled her in, closing the door tightly behind her. “Come and sit.”

“I’m sorry,” Aerity said. Her heart was beating too hard, and her breaths were coming too fast. She sat and bent forward, wrapping her arms around her middle. “It’s just that . . . he’s Lashed, and he’s run away, and I don’t know what to do. I—”

“Try for deep breaths, dear,” Mrs. Rathbrook said. “You’re in a panic.”

Aerity tried, feeling her heart slow.

“Where would he go?” Aerity mused, tears burning her eyelids. “Why does it have to be like this? He shouldn’t have to hide! He hasn’t done anything wrong!”

“Sh, love.” The woman rubbed her back.

Aerity looked up into Mrs. Rathbrook’s pained eyes. She looked as upset as Aerity felt.

“What can be done?” the princess asked. She’d never felt so small. So powerless. The beast was nothing compared to the notions of hatred, fear, and prejudice against Lashed throughout the lands. “If we could only show people, and explain that Lashed are not dangerous . . .” Mrs. Rathbrook looked upon her pityingly.

And then Aerity remembered Rozaria Rocato, the essence of danger, and she shut her eyes.

A strange noise came from the quiet halls below. Shouting. Faint at first, then growing louder. Aerity stood. She and Mrs. Rathbrook grabbed each other’s arms, listening. Next came terrified screams and stomping feet.

“Great seas,” Mrs. Rathbrook whispered. “We must hide you, Princess.”

But Aerity was already swinging the door open. The guard was gone.

“Princess Aerity!” Mrs. Rathbrook reached out for her.

“Stay here,” she told the woman. “Lock this door!” Aerity shut it and ran down the stairs. Officer Vest was at the bottom, watching the chaos with confusion.

People ran into the castle with expressions of terror, screaming, some dressed in finery, some in common clothes.

“Princess, you mustn’t go out there,” Officer Vest told her.

Aerity grabbed her skirts. “Please go back up and guard her with care.” She darted away, pushing through the people.

“Shut the doors!” she heard a familiar voice call down the hall. Harrison!

“It’s out there!” a commoner shouted.

Aerity’s heart was banging. She ran with the crowd. People stopped, jostling into one another, trying to decide where to go.

“To the left!” Aerity yelled over the crowd, pushing her way through. “The High Hall!”

People around her gasped and began to murmur.

“The princess!”

“It’s Princess Aerity!”

They let her through and she led the people to the High Hall. Her silks no longer hung in the room, which had been transformed for a grand celebration. Her mother and father stood at their throne, surrounded by guards, demanding to know what was happening as people poured in. Aerity ushered townsfolk in, and when the last person had squeezed through, she shut the doors.

“Bar them!” she ordered a guard.

“What is happening?” King Charles shouted.

“A beast!” The commoner’s voice trembled. Seas, no. Aerity pushed through the people and found the man, not much older than her own father.