Aligning the Forgotten ✓

Chapter 40: Renit

Crouching outside the capital, a group of rebels at his side, Renit surveys the front gates of the city and the guards, not paying attention, standing around it. Beyond them, buildings of varying height and structure loom like shadows in the dark and Renit recognizes them to be the perfect hiding spots for getting into the city without being detected.

The difficult part, though, is getting inside the city. They could risk the front gates, taking out guards as they go, but that would draw too much attention. Their best bet is to enter through the slums; hardly any guards maintain their stations there and at a time like this, late at night, everyone in the vicinity ventures to the fighting pits. It's the perfect night for Roux to be in there, Renit realizes, but he forces himself to stop thinking about it.

She's been on her own for some time now, without him watching, and although it kills him to not know where she is, Renit has to trust she's fine. Alive and well, resting in the castle underneath the same roof as his father. Hopefully, not under the same duvet, Renit wouldn't put his father past it; he's done worse things in his lifetime.

Alaric has already decided, evident by his hand waving in the opposite direction, gesturing for his rebels to follow. For the most part, the remainder of the group stayed back and away from the capital, hiding in the woods outside the city and waiting for their role. The bigger group they bring along, the likelier it is that one of these guards will discover them rumbling through the brush.

It's just the four of them: Alaric, Renit, Tesha, and Bren. They crouch low and remain in the shadows of the trees, careful not to step over anything prone to making too much noise. Renit has been in these woods too many times to count and hiding more often than not lately. He's not used to not being safe in his own home when once he used to rule these lands and everyone cowered in fear at his presence.

Looking back, he doesn't know how he could have appreciated their fear. It was his father's teachings, lessons that forced him to believe fearful citizens were the only way a leader remained in power. Renit took those teachings and ran with it, he suspected nothing was wrong until Roux came around, and his eyes opened.

His father isn't the king she needs. Silas is. And that goes for everyone else in this kingdom; it's time they receive a new leader that'll make them appreciate the life they live. No one should have to live in fear, Renit has received a healthy dose of it and has to say, it's as frightening as war. Unable to sleep, worrying when you'll be attacked, listening to every small noise, heart racing in fear...the banished prince doesn't want to experience that anymore. He won't wish such a terrible fate on his worst enemy.

Keeping a safe distance away from the stone wall surrounding Mailan, their group of four passes the gates and, by traveling even farther out, reduce the risk of being seen by guards pacing back and forth over the embrasures in the parapet wall. Renit isn't completely embarrassed by his father's men, at least some of them are paying attention. They scan the woods, listening for movements, and aren't constantly carrying copper cups of ale along with them to bring life to the night.

They keep their posts well, but if one of them catches a wink of what is happening outside the wall, in the woods, Tesha will put an arrow through their forehead. She moves on silent feet, almost undetectable, and crouches low with an arrow already nocked onto her bow. Renit wonders how many mortal years she took to perfect the craft of not only stealth but skill, as well.

As an immortal and a prince, Renit was allowed to span his training after so many years—to perfection. Tesha had to do it quickly, her training couldn't be anything short of her entire life. The skill to train with a bow does not happen overnight, and as strong as her aim is, she's been training for years beyond what Renit believes.