Abandoned (Born From Shadows #2)
Chapter Twenty

Riley swayed from left to right on his feet, his mind wandering wherever his legs couldn’t go. His body had to stand guard at the thrones feet but his mind had no such regulations. The throne room drifted away into imagination. A room of what if’s. What if he had a different father? What if Freya never took pity upon Tatianna. What if he were poor? So many scenarios in which everything would be different, yet the universe choose this one for him to live. Why? No one truly knows, except perhaps the gods. He wished it were different. Riley thought of what it would be like growing up on a farm surrounded by grains and animals. He would own a bunch of cats; he always wanted a cat.

His fingers tapped against the hilt of his sword that he had one and rested on. The Prince walked into the room which immediately brought Riley’s attention to the room in front of him. The royal Elf sat down on the throne, relaxing in it as if it was his own and not his mother’s.

“Guard, entertain me. Tell me a story,” the Prince said looking at the Elf to his left. Riley’s eyes glance to his right waiting for the Elf to speak.

“When I was a child,” the other unknown guard started to speak. “My mother and father placed a bet on how me and my siblings were going to awaken. My mother said it would be from natural causes when I was forty, while father said it would be from heartbreak. I proved them both wrong. The moment I underwent the awakening was when I was going the toilet. A snake frightened me so bad I fell straight off the bowl. Next thing I know I had pointed ears. My parents were quite surprised.”

The Prince was smiling at the guard, until he noticed Riley. “You’re the human aren’t you?”

Riley replied, “Yes, your highness.”

“What of your family? I understand things are different there?” the Prince asked curiously from on top of the throne.

“It is. My family were not that close. We lived in a large mansion, and the thing about large homes is that although they look nice on the outside, they place such a large distance between those inside. I soon discovered my family were not who I thought they were.”

“Why are you here?” The Prince wondered.

“Your wife,” Riley said while looking the Prince right in the eye. At the mention of Tatianna, the Prince quietened and whole expression changed. Riley couldn’t quite place what emotion the Prince was conveying before the palace doors opened and an Elf walked into the throne room.

The lone Elf walked towards the throne and bowed his head in respect. “Your highness.”

“What is it you want?” The Prince asked in a bored tone.

“My name is Terlak, and I have lived on the edge of Lyracris my entire life but recently a bunch of rogue humans from the Hollow Plains came into my house. They…they took all my belongings and…killed my wife,” Terlak stuttered with tears in his eyes. Riley couldn’t help but feel empathy for the man. “All I ask is for some money so I can try and rebuild my life.”

The Prince stood from his throne. “A group of humans killed one of ours. You won’t just get your money; you will get your justice. Take the guards in this throne room and hunt down those who killed your wife. Put their heads on our border and show the humans that this is our land.”

Riley’s blood went cold. Was this truly justice? If Tatianna was on the throne, would she make the same vengeance decision?

Yes, he subconsciousness replied. Yes, she would.

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Riley burst into Freya’s room in the Inn not bothering to knock. That was his first mistake. Freya was quick to cover both herself and her partner up with clothes. Riley’s words decided to go for a walk out of his mind, he couldn’t even think of a phrase to say. The two girls in the bed looked at him waiting for him to make the first move, to say something. What was he supposed to say?

“I-I thought you were with Kayter,” Riley managed to finally speak. “But you are in bed with…a girl?” The shock and surprise was gradually turning into confusion rattling at his brain.

“Riley I-.” Freya started to explain before he cut her off.

“I am leaving for a few days. Goodbye.” He then turned and walked out the door towards his room. Why was she with another girl? Is something wrong with her? Riley tried to come up with a reasonable explanation for it in his mind. Perhaps she had so much trauma from the past year that even her sexuality got messed up. He decided that explanation was most understandable. She will get better, he believed.

Riley grabbed a small saddle bag filled with supplies then headed down to the stables. He saddled up Ida and made his way back towards the castle. Time to hunt some humans. He almost chuckled at the thought, the roles had been reversed.

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