understand why
these men liked wine. The more that they drank, the less they could
think. They could barely talk, let alone walk. What a horrible way
to be.
“I was just repeating to the lords here, how
the king pardoned me when Shiver’s treachery was exposed.”
“I remember! See Obrenn, I told you. Our
apologies. Must’ve been the wine.”
“Thank you Neyv, that will be all.”
8
Quinn’s
neck ached from looking up. Eden definitely hadn’t lied about the
scale of Sevenspells. Lancing had been very quaint. They’d spent
two nights in the small holding at the base of the cliff, and the
lord Owain had been more than accommodating. When Harn had swept
in, their innkeeper almost fell the floor with the depth of his
bow. Harn had ignored the poor man. When Eden and River followed
Harn, he had tripped, falling to his knees. Harn had bawled about
the inn not being prepared, and the innkeeper had stammered a
response about not being aware of the royal visit. River had
approached the man, his self-effacing congenial manner calming the
man down within moments. River had reassured him that it was an unexpected visit, that they neither needed nor desired nothing
more than the common man would get. That, of course, was a
pointless statement—they got more attentive service and better food
than everyone else ever got in that place. River and Eden were
housed in the best rooms, with Eden insistent that Quinn stopped
with him.
Quinn hadn’t protested, and under the shadow
of the castle of Sevenspells, its ominous turrets threatening to
collapse and crush her, Quinn could see the painful end of her time
with Eden bearing down on her. They hadn’t spoken much, deciding to
just enjoy each other’s company. Quinn had met River to for the
first time, and she couldn’t imagine a man more opposed to his
father in personality. She thought Eden had been a man, but Eden
had some personality and power. River was a wet fish, and would
never be fit to rule. Just as well that Rowan was the
firstborn , not that Quinn ever thought she’d hear herself say
that.
“We’ll start the ascent today. How do you
feel?”
“I’m not looking forward to it, and not just
because what we’ll find at the top."
“I know what you mean. At least the journey
has been fun. And I mean that, Quinn, all of it. I wouldn’t change
a single moment of this.”
“I wouldn’t either Eden. I’m glad to have met
you, and I know that will remain friends. I made myself a promise
you know."
“Oh? What’s that?”
“To never use my ability on you again."
“Why is that?” Eden cocked his head, a mug of
ale halfway to his lips. Quinn thought he was playing with her, but
she had to bite her lip to stop herself instinctively checking his
raw emotion, rather than just talking to him to find out, like a
normal girl would.
“It’s not fair on you. I have this advantage
and you have none. I thought that… When I thought that if we’re
going to have a relationship, that I couldn’t keep using the
abilities. I always have an unfair advantage on you, and it would
skew the entire way I viewed our lives together. If I don’t use the
ability, then it’s just me reacting to you, not the empath. You
didn’t fall in love with the empath, you fell in love with
Quinn.”
“Sometimes I wish that I haven’t found out
about your ability you know. Then, I remind myself that without the
ability, you might been just like everyone else. Don’t regret what
you have Quinn. It made you who you are today, and that’s the woman fell in love with.”
“Would we have a chance together if I wasn’t
an empath?”
“ I don ’t think we
would. As the adopted daughter of the baron maybe, but only if
there was no conflict between the two lands. No, I don’t wish any
part of you changed. Because it wouldn’t have changed the outcome,
not really. Things happen for a reason, and I won’t forget
you.”
“I should hope not!”
They grinned at each other, trying
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