SGE His Broken Heart (Sequel to His Darkened Heart)

Chapter 6 Forgive and Forget

•• RHIAN'S POV ••

Rhian didn't know how he ended up in Tedros's chambers within the Camelot palace, crouched over the blonde prince as he applied ointment to Tedros's bruised face.

Rhian thought back to how he'd done this before. While he was tending to Tedros's wounds now, it was Japeth's wounds he should've been tending to. But he couldn't blow his cover just yet, so Rhian continued to treat Tedros, wiping the blood off his half-brother's face before he smeared some cream onto the prince's sore skin.

"Can't believe he's dead, and to think I never got the truth out of him," Tedros pondered, his voice surprisingly strong despite the beating he'd taken minutes earlier from the Snake.

Rhian knew Tedros's meaning. With the snake presumed dead, Tedros had insisted some guards remove the Snake's mask so he could see his fallen enemy's face. But it was pirates disguised as Camelot guards who'd taken the lead to unmask the Snake.

Little did Tedros know that Rhian and the Snake has the same face. And little did he know that the Snake was far from dead.

Japeth had done well. Rhian couldn't be any prouder of his brother for taking Tedros's fists, even if it'd left him on the brink of death. Except Rhian should've known that Japeth wouldn't go down without a fight, and he'd witnessed his twin and their half brother engage in a vicious battle.

Rhian was ashamed that he'd put Japeth in such a position, but it had to be done. The Snake had to die at the Lion's claws if Rhian had any hope of ensuring the woods stay on his side.

Despite his shame, Rhian also felt relief at the thought of finally revealing his true colors. In just a few minutes, Tedros would make a speech to the woods, declaring the Snake's death and rewarding those who'd fought to defend Camelot.

It was somewhere during that speech that Rhian would make his move on Excalibur.

For now though, Rhian had to keep his facade up a little bit longer as he watched Tedros turn to the body length mirror standing against the wall. Tedros examined his reflection and a scowl formed across his lips.

"Nobody will care for your appearance, so long as you are present for the Snake's reveal," Rhian told Tedros, testing a comforting hand on the prince's shoulder.

"It's not all my cuts I'm worried about, Rhian," Tedros confessed, looking suddenly sullen as he bowed his head. "Agatha ordered you to kill the Snake when it is I who was meant to be his end. The woods will see that you fought my own battle for me and if having them see me as an incompetent king isn't bad enough, the people will also see me as some sort of coward—"

"You fought just enough, your highness," Rhian interrupted Tedros, his tone firm. "Nobody will blame you for not killing the Snake when you were both worn out. Your princess couldn't bear to see the Snake harm you anymore, and so I stepped up and did what had to be done."

A deep sigh rumbled from Tedros's chest as if in defeat and he attempted a halfhearted smile at Rhian.

That's when a knock sounded at the door and Rhian and Tedros's heads snapped up to see Agatha poke her head into the room. The black haired princess opened the door wider to reveal Sophie at her side, wearing a sparkly pink princess dress that accentuated her figure well.

"Sorry if we're interrupting something," Agatha apologized to both boys before her gaze became fixated upon Tedros. "I'd like to speak with Tedros for a bit before we all go out there to speak to the people."