SGE His Broken Heart (Sequel to His Darkened Heart)

Chapter 13 Stay With Me

A/N—A and D were the correct answers at the end of the previous chapter. So keep reading to see an Aric and Japeth flashback and to find out the thief's identity! 😄
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~ JAPETH'S POV ~

It was times like these when Japeth wanted nothing more but to gouge out his own eyes and cut his ears off. It was around these times that Japeth was so annoyed and frustrated that he'd choose to resort to violence instead of taking a step back and trying to work out his issues on his own.

Japeth had awoken from a restless slumber this morning. He could only blame his lack of sleep on the fact that he'd been so pent up with anger about the dinner he'd attended with Rhian and Sophie last night. Sophie knew full well Japeth would get angry when she brought up Arbed House. She was obviously trying to drive a rift in between Japeth and Rhian, and if anything could divide the brothers, it was surely bringing up Aric.

Although Sophie hadn't even mentioned Aric's name, Japeth knew full well who she was referring to when she'd said that she might've known this friend of his. And it was clear that Rhian had caught on to who Sophie was referring to as well, because Japeth had seen his twin's expression morph into a look of dread and pain; the same reaction Rhian would always get whenever Japeth tried mentioning Aric in the past.

Japeth had gotten angry over Sophie saying she might've known Aric, because he knew she didn't know a thing about him. Japeth knew Aric better than anyone, and he knew Aric far better than Sophie knew him. Yes, perhaps Sophie had seen Aric's sadistic side at the School for Boys, but other than that she knew nothing about him. It was foolish of her to say she did because it was a big fat lie.

After storming out of the dining hall to keep himself from strangling Sophie with his scims for her remark about Aric, Japeth conjured up his thinking place to clear his head. But the sight of him and Aric's initials carved into the inky black sky couldn't serve to keep Japeth's anger at bay as he struggled to forget about the horrible dinner he'd had.

Japeth was in his thinking place for a while, lost in the nagging memory of Aric and scheming ways he could make Sophie pay for her hurtful comment about Aric. He thought about convincing Rhian to set the execution at an earlier date just so he could revel in Sophie's despair at seeing all her friends' heads roll. But then Japeth recalled Rhian's foolish intentions to make amends with Tedros, and he figured that Rhian was unlikely to change the execution date.

Japeth had such a difficult time trying to decide the most fitting punishment for Sophie that he quickly became angry at not only that blonde witch, but angry at himself as well. Funnily enough, he was angry at himself for getting so angry in the first place.

Was that how Aric had felt when he allowed himself to torture the other boys in the School for Boys? Did he become angry at himself for giving in to his rage which he unleashed upon the other boys?

Japeth wished he could ask him that. He wished he could ask Aric how he really felt when he chose to torture the other boys. But he couldn't ask him anything, not when Aric was dead and gone.

As much as Japeth tried to stay asleep last night, he couldn't keep himself from jolting awake at random intervals. He'd probably only gotten three hours of sleep before he stayed awake and watched the sun rise into the sky.

Japeth begrudgingly arose from bed, took a quick bath, and made sure his gold and blue liege suit was suitable before he gracelessly walked out of his room.

The first thing he took notice of when he stepped out of his room was the many guards patrolling the palace corridors. This wasn't unusual of course. Rhian had ordered daily patrols to keep watch for any prisoners who happen to break out of the dungeons and to also deter any Tedros sympathizers from attacking Camelot. But Japeth saw that there were way more guards than usual.