Free Spellscribed: Ascension by Kristopher Cruz

Endrance said at the same time. Endrance looked over at the man. "Say again?"
                          "Some of the people who were there at the coup remember how much you had done to overthrow Kalenden." Joven said. "Some of them were even first into the throne room and saw how you killed the king."
                          "Okay?"
                          "Do you remember when I mentioned the king of Balator had a standing invitation that anyone who could kill him would become king?"
                          Endrance's face paled. "Oh... you have to be joking, right?"
                          "Nope." Joven said with a grin. "Some of the barbarians who have come to like you have been pushing to have you be the new king."
                          "Oh hell no!" Endrance exclaimed, sitting up. "I don't want to!"
                          Joven shrugged. "Probably won't work anyways."
                          "Still, the idea of me being a king is..." Endrance began, but memory touched him then. There was something important about that castle, he was just unable to grasp what it was.
                          "It's pretty horrible." Joven concluded, with a grimace. "I'm betting you'd be king for an hour before someone tried to kill you."
                          "Hour?" Endrance said with a laugh. "I'm worried about minutes."
                          "I don't think it's a good idea, either." Selene said. "It would be like living with a sword over your head all the time."
                          "That's far too stressful to me." Endrance admitted. "I guess I'll have to do this dance."
                          "Okay!" Selene said with a smile. "I'll go pick up the cloth and thread tomorrow."
                          “Great.” Endrance said. “I’m going to do some more work while I rest.”
                          Joven frowned at him, leaning forward in his chair. “I think we should have you looked at.” He declared.
                          “Joven,” Endrance replied. “Last time I blacked out with blood pouring through my nose, it was because of magic and your healers knew nothing of how to fix it. This is the same, so I don’t think they would be able to do anything this time either.”
                          The bodyguard scowled. “I don’t like just leaving it.”
                          “I promise I’ll use my healing spell once I’ve recovered enough energy. That should help me more than a healer prodding me for several minutes.” He said in response.
                          “Fine.” Joven stated. “But get some rest. You have to be ready to help with the longhouse again tomorrow.”
                          “All right.” Endrance said. “I will. You’re free to head out if you need to.”
                          “Well I do now!” Joven exclaimed heartily. “You ate all the food! I’ll be at home if you need me.”
    An hour later Endrance rubbed his temples for the last time, tossing the quill pen roughly onto the table in frustration. He threw his arms up behind his head and interlocked his fingers to support the weight as he leaned back in his chair. He let out a pent up breath slowly, trying to vent his agitation.
                         He was sitting in the downstairs room of the house they had commandeered. Only the books that Selene had saved were stored on one empty, lonely shelf. Other parchments and papers were scattered across the central table. A cot was shoved into a corner, a requirement that was made after the third time that Joven found him sleeping at his worktable, ink spilled