Chapter 11: The Bad Twin

“He’s that scary?” I felt a shiver in my whole body as I tried not to imagine how much worse my so-called fate worse than death would be.

“I shouldn’t be saying this because he is my brother, but you are new and helpless here…” he was threading on thin lines yet making sure to consider my feelings too.

“What’s that?” I raised my head and sniffled back the snort in my nostrils.

“He is not someone you ever want to upset. Left to me, you would be living a life of luxury that you deserve and I would show you off to the world. But my brother would never put anyone in his eyes. After all, he killed our own father and uncle to take this position."

“What????!” That dropped like a bomb and my voice came out louder than I could control, startling the birds in the distance.

Silence followed as Kylanor’s and my eyes were locked in unspoken understanding. The only movements made were the fluttering of the birds’ wings against the wind.

“He killed his own blood just to take the throne, yes,” he nodded, “everyone knows this, you can ask around, but I wouldn’t want you talking into the ears of one of his spies.”

Spies? He’d mentioned rivals and now spies. Ashton was ruthless and paranoid on top of that.

The last person I would want to relate to in real life, but here I was, imprisoned and receiving comfort from his brother.

How much he must have suffered in his hands.

Kylanor sat on the grass beside me and I mimicked his action.

Spreading my legs across in front of me.

My feet ended somewhere on his calf even though we were sitting hip to hip.

“Are you scared of him?” I asked without any thoughts. His gaze twisted in what looked like pain.

The way his eyebrows contorted in a frown then smoothened.

The slight quiver in his lips before he turned away. He was quick enough to hide what could have followed, but I had seen the pain I caused him with my question.

“I’m sorry,” I reached out, “I didn’t mean it that way…”

“It’s fine. I am sometimes scared of him. Still, he’s my only family and I’m stuck with him for life,” he offered a smile and gazed up at the sky.

“I have no choice. I need to understand his pain.” he said with obvious agony in his voice.

Likewise, I thought about my own brother and the pain he’d put me through.

If the situations had been different, would I have forgiven him?

I would have definitely tried. “I understand,” I said as I placed my hand on the back of his in soothing movements.

“Thank you,” he sniffed before jumping to his feet.

“Okay! That’s enough depression for the day.”

“Oh,” I chuckled and let him pull me up, “can we go into the garden now?” I asked even though I wasn’t sure I was ready.

If reading the words on the gate alone was enough to elicit so many emotions, how much more entering?

“Why don’t we go someplace else. I’ll take you to the kitchen,” he said, and as if I hadn’t just eaten half my height in food, my stomach grumbled.

Somehow, he understood that I wasn’t ready and took it upon himself to cheer me up, despite his own bitterness.

“I’ll tell the maids to increase your food portion,” he said, and instead of telling him I was fine, I found myself laughing. A hearty laughter.

I laughed until tears pooled in my eyes.

“Oh my god, I should definitely consider a career in comedy if I can make you laugh this much.”

“No…” I waved my hands in front of my face in between snickering and blinking back tears, “I just… You were just so funny. I barely finished my food and you want to increase the portion?” I paused with my hand on my waist.

“At this rate, I would truly become as tall as you,” I paused and noticed him smiling at me.

Or rather, staring with a subconscious smile playing on his lips.

“Is something on my face?” I asked as I brushed the side of my face in case I’d gotten any tiny frogs or flowers stuck.

“No,” he held my hand and pulled me into his chest, “nothing that isn’t beauty,” he said as he rubbed my back endearingly.

“You are so beautiful, I think I understand why my brother picked you amongst everyone else.”

“What?” I muttered against his chest. Normally, I’d feel repulsed if someone of the opposite gender held me like this without asking first.

But with Kylanor, it felt natural, like we were long-lost friends reconnecting again. I didn’t resist. Rather, I couldn’t resist and just lulled against his chest while he continued to speak.

It became more of a rant at some point, but in the end all he talked about was how jealous he was of his brother and how he wished he had me instead.

And somehow, based on everything I’d heard about his brother, I found myself agreeing.

Ashton hadn’t tried to help me fit in. He just wanted to get what he wanted from me, and if I couldn’t give him that, he made it clear that he would end me.

Somehow, I found myself agreeing and nodding.

“You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid my eyes on, Mia. I want to keep you for myself,” he added with a sigh.

I chuckled and peered up at him from where my face was pressed against his chest.

“I don’t know if I should take that well or be scared.”

“A compliment, of course.” He booped my nose with the knuckle of his index finger and tousled my hair.

“Where are we going next?” I asked as I skipped in my steps to catch up with him.

“You’ll see. Just trust me,” was his reply, and my heart calmed when he slowed his pace to meet mine.