Ashe Knightley

Things ran around me like a blur. Apparently, Henneh and Rysdan were back with bad news and were waiting for me in my cabin back in the countryside.

I found out about this when Avaloryn came barreling into my room, yelling for me to get up. Luckily, I was already up and dressed.

As I sat in the carriage on our way back to the cabin, I became curious. What was a man to do, after all?

And I knew Valarya was up to something. I'd caught her leaving Diana's room multiple times throughout the day. One time I caught her holding a book about poisons. I decided to not point that out, though.

I entered her mind, watching through her eyes. She was inside a familiar room. When Kace and I were younger and visiting them, we'd play in that room.

Except now it looked like a war room. Children probably shouldn't be around knives, swords, arrows, and duel-wielded hatchets. Then again, it would be entertaining...

"—wedding dress," Valarya had said to Diana in the room. "Maybe this time I won't look like a pincushion."

"Hopefully, but I'd love to see that," Diana responded, her hand covering her mouth. "Ilias would die."

"Well, I must get going, ladies." Nylas rose from the table. "To a happy wedding," he toasted.

"To a happy wedding," they all cheered, downing their glasses of wine.

Yes, I obviously hoped she was happy with this wedding—this preposterous marriage to that giraffe Ilias.

It didn't matter. She was happy and that was all that mattered. And that heartburn I kept getting needed to go away.

I pulled myself out of Valarya's eyes. Would she ever forgive me? It didn't matter if she forgave me. We were just friends. Valarya wanted that more than anything, so I'd honor it.

Saints, another heartburn. I needed to stop thinking about her.

"Ashe," Avaloryn started.

"Yes?"

"We have three more hours until we arrive."

Great. More boredom.

Sighing, I shut my eyes.

~⚜️~

My soul escaped me when the carriage jolted to a stop. "Can't you stop correctly?" I bit at the driver.

"Sorry, sir. Almost slipped on the—"

"Whatever. Thank you and kindly leave." I flung my carriage door open, ignoring the man who waited outside. I nearly slapped the door into the man's face. Oh, well.

Entering the cabin, I noticed the coffee table had been shifted away. I didn't have a chance to inspect it closed before the door slammed behind me and I was left to fend myself.

Excellent. This day finally got interesting.

I drew out my knives and stalked into the cabin, staying firmly against the wall.

The distant voice of Rysdan sounded. Damn it.

I slid my knives back into my pockets and walked into the room, trying to act like I hadn't been walking outside like a fool.

"Rys, Henneh, you two look fine today."

They both exchanged a look.

"So what's the news?" I sat back on a chair near the fireplace, getting ready to brace myself for the worst.

"Look, Nick, we didn't mean to, but—"

"Cut to the news, Rysdan. I don't have all day." Another glance was shared between them. Two glances too many for my taste. I played with my bracelet, keeping my face as straight as possible. "Just say it!"

"Kace isn't here," Henneh muttered out.

My finger wrapped around the band. "What?"

"He... He was with us, but he's not... anymore." Rysdan bent his neck downward. "Look, we looked for him, but we couldn't—"

"I specifically asked you two to watch over him!" I snapped, briskly getting up from my chair. "He's sedated, right?"

"He was," Rysdan murmured.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I shot a glare at them, doing my best to not raise my voice. "You lost a sedated man? All you had to do was put him in a wheelchair or tie him to a lamp post."

A third glance was tossed.

"Stop staring at each other and communicate with me!"

"He's not lost. We know where he is."

"So what's the problem? Why couldn't you and Henneh go and get him back?"

"Because," Henneh began, sliding a piece of parchment across the table, "he's in a maximum security prison a few dozen miles from Malakette."

My world tilted a bit. "Are you being serious right now?"

"Do we sound like we're joking? This man in Ahmet sold us out. He took Kace and—"

"I told you to only speak to Zian Austruc!" I slammed a hand down on the table. "Was what I said not clear enough for you?"

"We found people specialized in handling felonies," Henneh replied in a obnoxiously cool tone. "And they helped us greatly—"

"Absurd. Who the hell could've helped you if it wasn't Zian?"

"Adonia Wu and a man named Lock."

My jaw nearly dislatched. "Are you fucking kidding? You went to your former lover girl for assistance, Henneh? I'm surprised she didn't throw you out the window—"

"You are my former boy, huh? But I guess the situation is different since it's you, Nicholyn," Henneh yelled back.

"My situation is different because when I broke it off with you, no one died!"

"Except Manea."

Rysdan jerked his head to Henneh, then back at me.

My heart sank. Slowly, I leaned back into the chair, watching as Henneh closed her mouth and whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that—"

"Get out."

She let a breath out and nodded. Wordlessly, she exited the room.

"Saints, this is all just a bunch of anger," Rysdan said, coming up next to me. "We are coming with you to get Kace out, but we all need to stay focused in the meantime. All this arguing isn't going to help us. I'll try to devise a plan with Avaloryn, and you"—he handed me an empty scroll of parchment—"need to request help."

He was right. Letting my emotions run out freely like this was only going to drive me away from my goal. Behind me I heard Rysdan shut the door as he left the room.

I knew who's help I needed.

~⚜️~

"How's your day been?" Valarya asked me through my head.

"It's been fine," I lied.

"Sure."

"What?"

"I'm looking through your eyes and I see the waste bin full of half written letters. I doubt you're a poet, so just be honest and tell me. Do you trust me?"

"I do," I told her. "Fine, I'm not fine. I have had such a terrible day. My brother got himself into trouble and I feel like nobody cares anymore. I wouldn't blame them."

"I would."

"What?"

"I would blame them," she repeated. I was about to ask her why she thought that, but she added, "They chose to be a part of this. When they became your friend, they chose to go through this with you. That's what a friend does. They can't pick and choose when to be your friend and when to not be. Then again, what do I know?"

"It's tiring to drag them along—"

"Personally," she said, adjusting herself on her bed, "I feel like friendship is more than just laughing and telling someone about your day. You confide in them stories and you tell them secrets you wouldn't even tell your parents. They're more understanding than you think."

Sighing, I laid back on my bed. "You think?"

"I know I haven't really had many friends, but that's what I imagine they are."

Saints, she was making being just friends with her sound extremely appealing.

"And I hope we can call each other somewhat of friends, right?" she whispered through my head, her own voice breaking while she said it.

I couldn't lie—she sounded so alone.

"I considered us friends the day I helped you get away from cannibal faeries, Arya."

"Oh, shut up. I could've handled myself—"

"I remember you throwing a chair and your shoe at Ashe."

"No regrets."

I had no regrets either, especially since I still had her shoe stuffed away in my bag. "I'm sure Ashe loved it when you did that."

"I couldn't care less about Nicholyn."

I twisted to my side, asking, "Why do you think he hasn't told you?"

"Easy. He doesn't trust me."

I wanted to scream out at her. She was the person I trusted most at this moment. "Are you sure that's why?"

"Why else wouldn't he?"

"I can give you an honest answer," I assured her.

"Well, you're not Nicholyn so I doubt you could give the most accurate answer. But sure, go ahead."

"Thaeleck and Entorre have peace treaties. If King Lorcan finds out in any way that Ashe is actually Prince Nicholyn, all treaties are nullified. War would rage, and the last thing the world needs is a country of faeries attacking them. Not to mention there's the threat of Kandose and a million other problems."

Valarya was silent for a few seconds, then said, "So he thinks I'd tell my father?"

"I think," I began, glancing at the other bracelet on my hand, "that he cared too much about you to want to put you in danger."

"That was not his call to make. He can't decide what danger to put me in and what not."

I knew that. I knew that now. I'd been such a moron and so blinded that I finally realized that I was going to tell her everything.

"Have you checked to see if anything has been sent to you?"

"Should I check now?"

I refrained from begging her to check. "Probably."

"Thank you, by the way. For comforting me like this. It... It means a lot even though you haven't told me anything about you."

She couldn't have been farther from the truth. I had told her everything.

Glancing at the bin, I looked at the half written letters I began writing for aid.

My Princess Valarya

They all started the same way.