Free A Crumble of Walls (The Kin of Kings Book 4) by B.T. Narro

will go around.”
    He. Just one man. Basen had been taught from an early age never to speak back to his father, but everything had changed during their time in the workhouse. Through the pain of Juliana’s supposed betrayal and the endless hard work he and his father had endured, Basen had earned Henry’s mutual respect.
    But it appeared that another shift had happened since then. He could see his father now wearing the same stoic look he used to in the castle, his tone leaving no room for argument.
    “If he goes far enough around the mountains so he’s not seen,” Basen said, “it could take a week to reach Mother.”
    “One week is not long,” Henry replied. “Plus another week to return.”
    “Unless she’s frail from her time in that cage and must travel slowly.”
    “I’ve thought of that, but this is the only option.”
    “How is this man supposed to get Mother out of prison?”
    “He has a signed decree from Crea Hiller that Juliana is to be released.”
    Now this was embarrassing. Basen had never caught his father lying before and didn’t know what to say. He’d just spoken to Crea. The awkward conversation had been short but fruitful. Basen really did have a signed decree from Crea, while his father probably had a forgery.
    Basen had asked Crea if his father had spoken with her yet, and she’d protested, “You should’ve waited for me to tell him myself.”
    “He won’t retaliate,” Basen had assured her, though he wasn’t confident it was true.
    “I’m not worried about that! I had a good reason behind that difficult choice.”
    Yes you are, and no you didn’t. “I came here for a signed document from you ordering my mother’s release. Let’s just get on with this and not speak more about it, all right?”
    Crea had looked confused for a moment, then surprised. She’d clearly expected him to ask more of her, probably for her to go to Tenred and retrieve Juliana. It would’ve been more than fair for Basen or his father to ask, but that didn’t mean Crea would do it.
    “All right,” she’d agreed.
    Basen had folded his arms and waited.
    Crea had dragged a blank scroll in front of her, dipped her quill in the inkwell and begun to write as Basen waited near the open door.
    Neither had spoken until she’d finished and handed it to him.
    “I assure you this will be more than enough for the warden to release her.”
    She’d sounded as if she expected him to thank her. She was lucky he didn’t run a sword through her black heart.
    Why would his father lie now? Basen opted not to find out. Henry had always been direct and sometimes stern to the point of frightening people. He wouldn’t hold himself back from telling Crea what he thought of her. Especially not here at the Academy, where she had no power over him like she had in Tenred castle. To lie meant Henry was covering up something else— an inability to meet with Crea .
    That’s it, Basen realized. He doesn’t want to meet with her because he can’t treat her in the only way she’ll allow people to treat her. He can’t play that role anymore.
    Basen wanted to tell his father he needn’t worry about that any longer. Crea had been stripped of much of her power. But shouldn’t Henry already know that?
    God’s mercy . “You want to kill her, don’t you?”
    He expected his father to deny it. He wanted his father to deny it. Henry looked like a different man as he met Basen’s gaze with a lowered head. His eyes burned with a deep rage Basen hadn’t seen since the day of their exile.
    “She would’ve let Juliana rot in prison for years, just for a chance at conquering Kyrro. Your mother has been through enough .”
    The power of Henry’s words could’ve moved mountains.
    “She has,” Basen agreed. “Which is why we should get her out as soon as we can. I saw how she lives, Father. She’s trapped with a group of ignorant women who have annoyed her to the point of anger. She never gets upset, so you know how