The fawn king stared at me in disbelief.
Honestly?
So did I.
But I wasn't about to let his disrespect slide just because he wore a crown.
He cradled his cheek, eyes wide, as if I had broken some sacred, untouchable law of the land.
"You old woman!" he snapped. "How dare you raise your hand against me! I am King Aspen of Velaris. You have just signed your death sentence. Elks—kill this criminal!"
I laughed. A sharp, bitter sound that surprised even me.
"Shut up," I said. "If you're such a mighty king, why don't you do it yourself? Kill me. Go on."
The elks froze.
I stepped closer, heat rising in my chest.
"I am so tired of kings like you—so full of yourselves, so convinced your title makes you special. Let me tell you something, buddy. You are not impressing anyone. You haven't proven a damn thing. You inherited a crown—you didn't earn it."
Silence crashed down hard.
Oh gods.
I went too far.
Aspen's lips trembled. His eyes filled, and then—just like that—he broke.
"I know!" he shouted through tears. "You don't have to keep saying it! Why do you think I ran off? Why do you think I wanted to fight them? They killed my parents! I just wanted to prove I wasn't weak!"
The anger drained out of me all at once.
I dragged both hands through my hair, gripping it tight.
What the hell just happened, Sienna?
"I'm sorry," I said, forcing myself to breathe. "I shouldn't have gone that far. But you don't get to treat elders like dirt just because you're hurting."
Before anyone could respond, one of the elder elks let out a low chuckle.
"I believe," he said warmly, "we've found exactly who our young king needs."
He stepped forward. "I am Varkas, guardian of the King of Velaris. Shelley of the Bunny Tribe—caretaker of Barok—would you be willing to guide our king?"
I stiffened.
I couldn't stay long. I wasn't meant to stay at all.
But then I looked at Aspen—angry, wounded, pretending to be something he wasn't—and I knew I couldn't just walk away.
"Fine," I said. "I'll help. Temporarily. What he does with what I teach him is his choice."
"Agreed," Varkas said without hesitation.
Aspen exploded. "Absolutely not! I am the king! You don't get to decide for me!"
I cut him off instantly.
"You don't get to decide because your people don't trust you yet. That's the truth. You want to be king? Then learn how."
He glared at me as the elks escorted us toward Velaris.
Velaris unfolded into a wide meadow wrapped in towering timber—dense canopy overhead, cool shadows beneath. Hidden. Protected. Thoughtfully built.
Aspen ignored me the entire walk.
I endured it.
I'd survived colder welcomes in Juno, twisted hospitality in Mariner's Bay, and Avion's feathered snobbery. I could handle a sulking deer.
The more time I spent with him, the clearer it became: he wasn't cruel—he was terrified. Trying to be strong because he thought strength meant being cold. Trying to be king when he was still a grieving child.
At night, I heard him cry.
Soft. Broken. Alone.
So I changed tactics.
"Aspen," I asked one morning, "what will you change as king—besides forcing everyone to be 'useful'?"
He opened his mouth. Closed it.
Blocked.
"Let's audit your kingdom," I said.
He blinked. "Audit?"
"We inspect everything. Together."
We walked every corner of Velaris. Patrols moved smoothly. Elks worked in harmony with neighboring clans. Food stores were stocked. Defenses reinforced. Every role fit perfectly into the whole.
I thanked everyone we passed—loudly.
By the end, Aspen was silent.
"Well?" I asked. "Find anything broken?"
He shook his head. "No… but why do you keep thanking them?"
"Because they're the reason this place thrives," I said. "They don't work for you. They work with you."
He scoffed. "They're below me."
"And you love it when they praise you, right?"
"Yes."
"Same thing."
I made him thank everyone.
If he forgot, he did their job.
Slowly—painfully—it clicked.
He still cried at night.
So I made him run.
We ran through fields and hills until his breath broke and his legs burned. At the top of a rise, I told him to scream.
He did.
Then he cried.
Then—finally—he laughed.
For the first time since I met him, he sounded like a kid.
And for a moment, peace held.
But peace never lasts.
The instant word reached Velaris of intruders, Aspen snapped. Rage took over.
And without warning—
He ran.