Chapter 48 Out of Control
Someone was happy Perci was dead. Wren surveyed the funeral as subtly as she could manage.
In the sea of grief and anger, there was a blip of satisfaction that curdled Wren’s stomach.
She couldn’t discern who the emotion was coming from, but she suspected Calypsia.
Whether she was guilty or not, she’d likely be happy that after losing her lover over the cliffs, Castien and Finn had to bury their friend at sea.
The Grimhaven princess stood a few paces away from Letta and Kierana.
She wore a black ballgown with a ruby necklace draped around her neck.
It wasn’t overly ostentatious, and it fit with the attire of the others who had gathered for the ceremony.
Letta and Kierana both donned black gowns as well.
All of the men wore navy, brown, or black suits.
Wren knew she would stand out in yellow, but it was her way of showing honor to Percilean and support to Castien.
“Percilean Dalor was a brilliant engineer and a loyal friend,” Castien said to Wren’s left.
She held his hand, grateful that he allowed himself some comfort. He wanted to bury it all. She knew that feeling well. So well that she knew it was the opposite of what he needed right now.
Wren kept searching the crowd, trying to pinpoint the location of the strange feeling.
She noted Cyprus standing at the head of the group of men, his hands clasped in front of him, expression stoic.
He was a loyal friend, and though he had his struggles, Wren couldn’t imagine him rejoicing over Perci’s death. She glanced at Calypsia again.
“The loss of him is too great for words to encompass.” She could hear how Castien struggled to speak. Wren squeezed his hand. “His memory will not be forgotten.”
Castien stopped. Looked down.
“And his death will not go unpunished,” Finn continued from the other side of the casket where he stood. “His killer will be brought to justice.”
Castien swallowed and lifted his gaze. His dark eyes pierced the small crowd.
“Today we lay Perci to rest at sea, but he will have a place of honor in the Enlight Legacy Gardens upon the arrival of Eventide,” Castien announced in a tight voice.
He let go of Wren’s hand. She took a step back, knowing it was time.
The assembly of peers and guards was a few feet away.
Wren forced herself to watch as the two Valengard men bent down and pushed the casket over the ledge with great effort.
Letta let out a wail. Kierana wrapped an arm around the grieving woman.
“Would you like to go back to your chambers now?” Kierana asked Letta.
“Y-yes.” She hiccuped the word.
Kierana nodded to Wren, then split off from the group with a guard for each of them. Upon their leaving, Wren reassessed the emotions of the group. That happy feeling was still there, like a torch in the dark.
Wren’s attention was stolen once more when Finn yanked Castien into a hug that brought tears to her eyes.
She had cried several times over the past week, but it seemed the tears wouldn’t stop.
She’d mourned her fledgling friendship with Perci.
Grieved for Letta, for Cas, for Finn. And if that pain wasn’t enough, she’d been reminded of the loss of her brother, too.
It looked as though Finn were speaking to Castien, but she couldn’t tell what he was saying. After a moment longer, Finn pulled back and squeezed Castien’s shoulders before walking away. Castien stayed by the ledge.
“Letta and Kierana?” Finn inquired as he approached.
“Kierana took her back to rest.”
Finn nodded. “Good, that’s good.”
“You look like you could use some rest yourself,” Wren said softly.
A half-hearted smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Sleep has been difficult, and now that I’m joining in on the investigation, it will be impossible.”
Wren shook her head. “You both need to rest, to allow some time for mourning.”
“Darling Wren, you know better than that.” Finn draped an arm around her and tugged her against his side in a brotherly embrace. “Your betrothed will not rest until this matter is dealt with. And I will be loyal to that. You will too, I imagine.”
Wren leaned against Finn and watched Castien. He still hadn’t moved. The crowd began to disperse, but Castien stayed staring at the waves. As the others left, so did the odd mix of emotions.
“He believes it is his fault,” Wren said once the three of them were alone—aside from the guards watching them.
“He is a prince. Bearing responsibility is what he does.”
Wren shook her head. “It’s more than that, Finn. He blames himself entirely. I worry what that sort of guilt will do to him. He’s shutting down his emotions, not allowing himself to possess any perceived weakness.”
Finn wouldn’t suspect her Gift. He would simply think she knew Castien well enough to have a sense about these things.
“This is how he copes. Castien needs to be in control. When something slips out of his hands, he punishes himself until things are back as they should be again. Once we find the killer, he will slow down enough to grieve,” Finn said, in an attempt to reassure her.
“But no one can control everything. He cannot keep living like this.”
Up ahead, Castien pushed his hands into his hair.
“You’re good for him, Wren. I have faith you’ll teach him many things.
But for right now, you must be patient with him.
He won’t hear you while there’s a threat looming.
Castien’s drive is to protect those he loves.
” Finn rubbed her arm soothingly. “You’ve got the rest of your lives to show him he’s not responsible for everyone and everything. ”
We have forever.
“Lord Valengard, your time is almost up,” one of the guards announced.
Finn sighed and squeezed Wren one more time before stepping away.
The guards had been stricter than ever since Percilean was discovered.
Wren supposed she should be grateful, but given that the killer could live in the same house as her for all they knew, she doubted their abilities to protect her.
They felt more like an inconvenience than anything.
“I’ll go get him,” Wren said, and Finn nodded.
She walked to Castien’s side and slid her hand into his.
“I’m sorry if I was harsh earlier,” Castien spoke before she could say anything.
“You weren’t harsh with me, only yourself.”
Wren pressed a kiss to his arm, then leaned against it.
“Perci counted on me, and I let him down. I deserve worse than harsh words.”
Salty mist sprayed Wren’s face. She shut her eyes and took a breath.
“I disagree, but I understand why you feel that way.”
They fell into a moment of silence. Nothing but the waves crashing against the cliffs filled her ears.
“The guards say our time is up.”
“They can walk off the ledge. If people are grieving, then they’ll allow them the time. They’re glorified nannies,” Castien groused.
“Everyone but Finn is gone,” she told him. “If you’d like more time, though, I’ll stay with you.”
Castien glanced over his shoulder. He must not have realized that everyone had left.
“No, we can go. Finn and I have work to do.”
He started toward the guards, but Wren tugged him to a stop. She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. His grief rose as he gazed down at her. Pain overtook his expression.
“Dearest—”
“I know,” she said softly. “I will let you go, but I have not seen you in many days, and I don’t know when I will get to see you again.”
His gaze softened. He drew her closer and enveloped her in his arms. She breathed in his comforting peppermint scent.
“Promise me you will eat something of substance upon returning to your chambers,” she said against his chest. “Force Finn to eat too.”
Castien ran his hand up and down her back.
“I promise.”
“Heathford will tell me if you don’t.”
Castien let out a weak chuckle and kissed her head.
“I will eat. I will need the strength, of that I’m certain.”
“I wish I could go with you,” Wren said.
“Me too, dearest. The matter will be dealt with soon enough, and then I intend to not depart from you for a very long time.”
Wren tipped her head back to meet his gaze. There was a little more life there than before. She hoped she had helped in some way. Wren thought of the emotions from earlier. Though she wished to carve out a space for peace, Castien needed to know what she felt before they parted ways.
“In your investigation, you should note that someone present wasn’t entirely sad for Perci,” Wren told him in a low voice.
“I couldn’t ascertain who, as everyone felt so strongly, but I am certain one person present was happy.
My guess is Calypsia, due to our having killed Soren, but I will leave you to put together the pieces. ”
Castien’s brow furrowed.
“I will make note of it. Thank you, dearest.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Wren noted the guards shifting on their feet. They were likely gathering the courage to come over and tell Castien it was time to go.
He must have sensed it too because Castien let go of her waist with one hand, then held up a sealed letter. Wren smiled and took it from him.
“I’ll send Heathford by later to pick up your reply. It’s best if you and Blossom stay put,” Castien instructed.
Wren nodded. A stubborn part of her wanted to argue, to tell him she could take the tunnels to see him. But it would be foolish to suggest putting herself in danger when Castien had just lost someone he loved. They would see each other in time. And until then, she could make do with letters.
“I love you,” she said.
He bent down and kissed her forehead, sending a burst of warmth through the ice inside her.
“I love you too.”
They parted from one another. Finn forced a half smile as Wren split off toward House of Adira with the two guards that had waited on her.
She gave him a small wave in return. Finn wrapped an arm around Castien again.
Wren was grateful that if she couldn’t be there for him, at least Finn could be. They would balance out one another.
Wren made it to House of Adira and rushed to her chambers. It had been too long since she’d read Castien’s script. Though circumstances were bleak, reading his words would no doubt lift her spirits. Wren would take whatever light she could get while darkness enshrouded the island.