Page 15 of Savage Crown
“You need to grow up!” I spat, spun, and stormed out of the tent.
A few guards stared but did nothing.
How dare he blame me for his mother’s choice.
‘That last part was a little harsh, no?’Val asked quietly.
‘No,’I growled.
She went silent.
I found tent three and waited outside it.
“Godric?”
“Come in, Brynn,” he answered.
The moment I stepped inside, I unraveled. Tears spilled down my face, hot and fast, and I hated it. I was embarrassed to be crying like some weak woman in front of the commander of Kaelric’s army. Someone who had seen real war.
“Do you want to talk or be alone?” he asked calmly.
The question was perfect.
“Alone,” I whispered.
He nodded once, stood, and slipped outside without another word.
Right then, he was my favorite person.
‘Crying does not make you weak, Brynn. It makes you someone who cares.’
Val’s voice stayed with me long into the night.
Chapter Three
Iwoke up in my assigned tent, number four, right next to Godric’s.
The canvas walls still held the faint chill of night, and distant movement stirred outside, wolves most likely changing guard or preparing for drills. My body was stiff from poor sleep, fractured dreams, and restlessness. The smell of cooked eggs pulled me upright.
Godric’s voice came from outside my tent: “Can I come in?”
“Yes,” I called, and sat up.
He set a tray on a small wooden crate. A plate filled with eggs, potatoes, and sweet bread.
“You will eat alone,” he said softly, and I nodded.
He left then, leaving me with lukewarm potatoes, eggs, and too many thoughts. Eat alone? Why? Wouldn’t want anyone to know I was Kaelric’s mate. The secrecy felt like a chain tightening around my ribs. I thought about my argument with Kaelric last night, about how he said he forgot how beautiful I was and how heavy that felt now.
Whatever.
After eating, I dressed quickly and stepped outside, feeling the crisp morning cut through the fabric. A shield of armorsettled over my heart, something I was forcing there. Kaelric had too much power to hurt me. I had to fix that. I needed to become dead inside where he was concerned.
‘I don’t recommend that,’Val said.
I almost snapped back that she didn’t know anything about such a thing, but I stopped. She’d fallen for Kaelric’s father when she was still human. She knew exactly what it was like to care for someone who you could never really have.
So I ignored the comment, set my jaw, and went with Godric to an open practice field. The ground was trampled into dirt from years of sword work. Rows of wolfkin drilled in tidy lines while others lounged at the edges, sharpening blades or talking quietly.
