Taming the Thorny Rose novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Ring

"Say something," I said.

Aldric looked at the guards.

"Lock the prisoners in the east cells," he said.

"Let the girl's friend tend to the wounded."

"Say something," I said again, louder.

"Not here."

"Here."

"Kestrel."

"Did you kill my mother?"

The guards were dragging the hunters away.

The shaved-head one lingered a moment, then took the others around the corner and left us alone.

The corridor smelled of blood and old smoke.

"No," said Aldric.

"I didn't kill her."

"But you were there."

He closed his eyes.

"Yes."

I hit him.

I hadn't meant to.

My open hand cracked across his cheek, and then my fist followed.

He didn't lift a hand.

I struck him in the mouth, and the ribs, and the shoulder.

He took it, standing absolutely still.

His lip split, and blood ran down his chin, and he let it.

"Fight me," I said.

"No."

"Fight me, you coward!"

"No," said Aldric.

"You're allowed to hit me.

"You may do it as long as you like."

Something in my chest cracked down the middle.

I stopped, and my knuckles were wet.

I was breathing in great ragged pulls, and I couldn't see the corridor through my tears.

"She was a hunter," I said.

"She was thirty-three.

"She went out to the border one winter night when I was nine and she never came back."

"Yes."

"Crane carried me home.

"He said the Night Court's king took her, and all those years I thought of your face."

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