Tonya’s softly spoken words resonated with Ashure. He remembered the feelings that had swamped him shortly after Simon had gifted—or cursed, depending on which day it was—the Kingship to him. She stopped again and stared out at the water. He paused next to her. He gently squeezed her hand in understanding.
“I felt the same way once,” he admitted.
She looked up at him with surprise. She pulled her hand free from his, reached up, and pushed her hair back when it blew across her face, temporarily blocking her view. He could feel her studying him.
“What happened, and how did you deal with it?” she asked.
He shoved his hands into the pockets of the black cotton trousers he had found this morning. “Ah, that is a bit of a story, because what happened doesn’t make any sense if you don’t know w
