Silence - By Kailin Gow Page 0,10
see how the deathly il man before her might have ruled a kingdom.
Briefly, Briony wondered whether she should be curtseying. After al , this was a king. But the Hugtandalfer before her just smiled and reached out a hand to take Briony’s. His grip was soft, but insistent, as though he wanted to make sure that Briony was real.
“You know who I am, child?” The words had a kind of fragile warmth to them, as though the King wanted to be able to stand and enfold her in his arms, but simply didn’t have the strength for it anymore.
Briony nodded. “King Waltham. My… father.”
“Yes. You have no idea how good it is to hear those words. And you are Briony. My child. My daughter. My heir.”
“Heir!”
That came from the crowd of fanged elves behind them, and Briony turned at the sound. The group parted to reveal a male Hugtandalfer, as young-looking as they al were, his long, straight hair divided into black and white stripes that fel wel past the shoulders of the sky blue tunic he wore. His eyes were a bril iant silver, standing out against his high cheekbones, aquiline nose, and ful lips. He was broad-shouldered, but moved with sure-footed grace as he stepped forward.
He was, Briony decided, quite possibly the most gorgeous young man she had ever seen. And, given the amount of time she had spent around Kevin and Fal on, she had plenty to compare him to. Only the look he gave Briony as he stepped closer spoiled the effect a little. It was a look, not just of pride, but of contempt for her too. Apparently, this young Hugtandalfer real y didn’t like her.
King Waltham sat up a little straighter. “You have something to say, Vigor?”
Briony guessed she should have known.
The Prince shook his head. “No, father.” The second word sounded very deliberate, as though Vigor was anxious to reinforce the connection.
“Then you should come here and meet your long-lost sister, shouldn’t you?”
The young man hesitated, his gaze flicking from King Waltham to Briony.
“So you do have something to say?” the King asked, when the Prince didn’t come any closer.
Vigor nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.” He looked Briony over from head to toe, and Briony had to force herself not to wilt under the sheer intensity of that stare. It was a probing thing. Practical y an intrusion.
“She’s human.”
“Briony is one of us,” King Waltham said.
“If she’s Hugtandalfer, than why doesn’t she resemble us? Why does she look like… this?” Vigor gestured to her. “Sister indeed!”
Briony bristled at that. Who did this boy think he was? “Brother indeed!” she shot back. “I have a brother named Jake already, and from what I’ve seen even in the last minute or two, he’s more suited to ruling anything than you.”
“You dare question my suitability?” Vigor glowered at her.
Briony looked at the crowd around them. They were looking on with interest. It occurred to Briony that she might have gone too far, but by that point, it was too late to back down.
“You’re right,” she said. “I’m not your sister.
After al , we aren’t related by blood, are we?”
The King raised an eyebrow. “Where did you hear that, Briony?”
Briony shrugged. She didn’t want to get Leytham into trouble. “Vigor is adopted, isn’t he? So we aren’t of the same blood.”
Briony saw al the eyes in the room turn to the Prince. Apparently, the nobles there were waiting to see what his response would be. Though for a second or two, al he did was stand there in silent fury.
“It is true that Vigor is adopted,” King Waltham said, apparently attempting to defuse the situation,
“but I have raised him in my court. I have named him as my son in every sense but blood. Now, let it rest.”
“I am more fit to be king than this little girl,”
Vigor snapped, ignoring King Waltham.
“Let it rest,” King Waltham said. In that instant, there was real power in the King’s voice. “As for who is fit, that is something we shal see. It is not a discussion for now. Now is the time for welcoming your sister back from the other lands. Give her the kiss of greeting, son.”
That was one of the more awkward moments of Briony’s life. And of Vigor’s too, if she was any judge.
The Prince moved forward reluctantly and kissed her briefly on both cheeks. Given how handsome he was, it
might
have
been
pleasant
under
other
circumstances, but right then, al Briony could think of was how much trouble she had managed