he cuts me off before I can start. “Besides, Vae has been gone for a long time. The queen needs to know what happened, and he has to be updated on everything,” he reasons, and I have to concede that what he says makes sense. “Not to mention the farce of a trial she’s putting him through.” Rolling his eyes, he huffs a breath. “He always was a favourite of hers though.” Again, the way he says this sets alarm bells ringing in my mind, although I couldn’t say why.
You’re just jealous, my thoughts goad me. You begrudge the queen for the time she takes Vaeril away from you. There’s an essence of truth in those thoughts. I do wish I could spend more time with both Tor and Vaeril, but there’s more behind it, I’m sure of it.
“We had a month of mourning when he disappeared.” He speaks so softly, I almost don’t hear him. Turning, I see Naril’s expression, and my heart drops.
“Can you tell me about it?” I ask equally as quietly. We’ve reached the study area now and head towards one of the large wooden tables.
“Vaeril, Eldrin, and I trained as soldiers, even though we were nobility,” he begins, taking a seat at the end of the table. I do the same, not wanting to miss any details of his story. “We worked through the ranks quickly. Eldrin was promoted earlier on and led his own legion—we didn’t see him for years. Then when he got captured…” He trails off, and I see a rare glimpse of pain on his face. Naril’s careful mask rarely ever slips, so I know these feelings must still be raw for him. As swiftly as it appears, his expression clears as he takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair. “Well, that’s not my story to tell. Anyway, all soldiers are given a break from serving on the front lines, and Eldrin and I were rotated out of the army and were serving here at the castle,” he explains, and I nod in understanding. “Vaeril was given a special mission from the queen, and he disappeared.”
A special mission. What could that have been? Is that why she was so upset when we first arrived at the palace and she thought he was dead? I wonder if she feels guilty that she was the reason he got caught. Sure, she didn’t capture him, but if she hadn’t given him the special mission, then he wouldn’t have been there in the first place. You’re biased. We’re at war. He knew the risks and could have been killed at any time, my thoughts argue, and perhaps they’re right, but I still don’t like the queen.
Mirroring his earlier movement, I relax back in my chair, trying to think how to ask my questions sensitively. “You told me once before that you thought he was dead.”
Naril nods, reaching up and running his hand through his golden hair, messing up the usually neat style. It’s slightly shorter than his brother’s and always much better kept, but when anger flashes in his eyes, for a second, it’s like Eldrin is sitting in front of me. “We searched for him for years, both on the battlefront and in Arhaven.”
Shock courses through me as I suddenly lean forward, eyes wide. “Wait, you tried to enter the city?” Shaking my head, I blow out a surprised breath. “That’s a death sentence.” Arhaven is a sprawling, bustling city with too many people trying to live within its walls. Slums surround the outside of the walls, filled with those purged from the city, and they’re a dangerous place to be. Murderers, bandits, assassins, and worse lurk in the depravity, and regularly manage to slip into the city, mugging passing traders and visiting dignitaries. The elves would have stood out like a sore thumb, making themselves a target to both the undesirables and the soldiers who regularly patrol the streets.
“Yes, the city was easy,” he replies, brushing off my concerns with a shrug. “It was the castle we couldn’t get into.” Frustration lines his words. “We tried to listen for rumours, since an elf in the capital city is bound to cause stories, but there was nothing.” Frowning, he glances away from me as he stares at one of the bookshelves. I’m pretty sure he’s not actually interested in the books but is lost in his memories.
We sit in silence, and I’m not sure how much time passes, but I don’t