Chapter 326: The King Who Definitely Didn’t Like Children (Or So He Claimed)
Chapter 326: The King Who Definitely Didn’t Like Children (Or So He Claimed)
Elyn’s POV
I turned to Zorathys, studying him carefully. The moonlight cast shadows across his face, and his ruby eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion... as usual.
"I was wondering," I said slowly, "could it be that you actually do not dislike the children?"
Zorathys immediately made a disgusted face, like he had just tasted something he absolutely detested. His nose scrunched up, his lips curled, and his shadows recoiled as if they too were offended by the very suggestion.
"Why would you say something like that?" he asked, his voice carrying genuine horror.
I chuckled at his expression and shook my head.
"That’s for me to know," I said, a smile playing at my lips.
I turned to Dracolthar, who was still hovering nearby, his four eyes blinking patiently at me.
"It was nice meeting you, Dracolthar," I said. "I’ll see you whenever Zorathys summons you next."
The massive creature bowed his head, his shadows curling around his horns.
"It was an honour, Your Majesty. I look forward to our next meeting."
"Alright, I’m tired. Send me back to the palace," I told Zorathys.
Zorathys nodded without argument, snapped his fingers, and suddenly I was no longer on the rooftop.
I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing in my bedroom.
I exhaled slowly, the exhaustion from the day almost fading away.
I chuckled as I thought back to how Zorathys had reacted to my question. The reason I had asked him that was because of the way he had taken care of the children throughout our trip. Even if he didn’t like them—even if he called them pests and nuisances—there had been moments where his actions betrayed his words.
Aziren had been on his lap, perched there like it was the most natural place in the world. He had bought the clothes the children had picked out without complaint. He had let them play with his shadows, his shadows that were extensions of him, that reflected his moods and his will. He had carried them, lifted them, floated them through the air like they were precious rather than pests.
If he didn’t like them even a little bit, he would not have let that happen, which led me to the conclusion that a little part of him did like the children, unlike what he showed the public.
I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the ache in my muscles from the long day. My back cracked softly, and I groaned with relief.
Rin and Vaelory were not present. I had no idea if they were even aware I had returned, per...
Before I could even finish my thoughts, a raven landed on the windowsill.
I froze in shock, my thoughts grinding to a halt. The bird was sleek and black, its feathers gleaming in the light, its eyes dark and depthless. But I was so familiar with Rin that I knew immediately—even before the raven transformed—that it was her.
The raven transformed, and then Rin was standing in front of me, her void-black eyes wide with emotion... don’t ask me how I knew, I just did.
"My lady!" she screamed, launching herself at me.
She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing so tightly that I felt my ribs protest. Her voice was muffled against my shoulder, but I could still make out the words.
"I missed you! I almost died of boredom without you in the palace! Do you know how boring it is here when you’re gone? I had to go home, and then my father tried to make me go on a date with my fiancé, and I don’t want to get married! I’m not interested in getting married, but he refuses to listen to me!"
I chuckled at her words, patting her back awkwardly.
"Rin," I said, trying to pry her off me. "I can’t breathe."
She loosened her grip slightly but didn’t let go.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Your Highness," Vaelory’s voice called out. "I heard you are back."
I almost chuckled at the timing. It seemed my return had not gone unnoticed after all.
"The door is open," I said. "You can enter."
The door swung open, and Vaelory stepped inside. She stopped immediately, her eyes widening as she noticed Rin clinging to me.
"What do you think you’re doing?" she demanded, her voice rising with outrage. "Why are you clinging to Her Highness like that?"
Rin ignored her completely, keeping her arms wrapped around me.
"Go away," Rin said flatly. "I’m having a conversation with my lady. Use the door."
"I am using the door," Vaelory shot back. "And I don’t trust you. Do not cling to Her Highness that way."
Rin blinked at her.
"That definitely wasn’t what I meant when I said you should use the door. I meant you should leave," Rin told her.
Vaelory paused, only now realizing what Rin had meant.
"I’m sorry, I did not realize that was what you meant," she said.
There was a pause, and I counted just how long it would take before Vaelory snapped.
I didn’t even get to two.
"Wait, I’m not using the door just because you said I should! Let Her Highness go!" she said.
"She’s my lifeline!" Rin screamed at Vaelory. "You go away. Besides, you’re only useful at fainting."
Vaelory gasped.
"I help Her Highness, and I’m not the one clinging to her right now."
"I help her too, and I’m the one clinging to her."
"I can see that," Vaelory told her, "and I’m saying you should let her go. We servants do not cling to royalty."
"Who said the Queen was royalty?" Rin asked her.
"Isn’t she?" Vaelory blinked, clearly in shock.
Well, that made two of us.
"She’s the Queen."
There was a pause, and then Vaelory spoke up.
"That means she’s royalty."
"She’s the Queen. She’s above royalty," Rin argued.
I sighed.
It had not even been an hour since I returned, and for some reason, I had forgotten just how much of a headache Rin and Vaelory could give me. Their bickering was relentless, their voices overlapping, their arguments circling back to the same points over and over again.
And also, the argument made no sense.
How did being Queen mean I was above royalty?
"Do you even hear yourself? She’s Queen. That means she’s royalty."
"That means she’s above royalty. The King is above royalty."
"That makes no sense."
"Yes, it does."
"No, it doesn’t."
"It does."
"It does not."
"Both of you," I said finally. "Shut your mouths."
They stopped immediately.
Rin released me, stepping back with a pout. Vaelory folded her arms, her expression triumphant, though there was nothing to be triumphant about.
I was going to address the royalty argument, but for now I had a more important matter.
I turned to Rin.
"You have a fiancé?" I asked.
Vaelory paused, her eyes widening as she stared at Rin.
"You have a fiancé?" she repeated, her tone filled with shock.