Casimir's Journey Read Free Page A

full functionality to return.”
    “What do you mean, she watched the axe rise and fall? How did you reattach my head to my body? Why do you think I should live? I had decided to die. I was ready to die. To be alive is not only witchery, it is dishonor. What have you done to me?” He was furious. Not only did he feel as weak as a newborn calf, but this crazed woman was telling him that the future he had planned was now gone. He was no longer to be his father’s son, no longer to rule his kingdom, and no longer to marry the woman he loved.
    “What have I done to you?” She shook her head and gave him a smile. “I allowed everyone there to see you die. They deserved to have that vision to the end of their days for what they did to you. Then I took you away. Even in death, they do not deserve to have you.”
    He measured his next words carefully. “Catrin, I am thankful, but I must return to the life I had planned. How can you save me only to take away all that I am?” Visions of Thea crying as he knelt over the block swam in his head. “I love her. I must return, even though my every living breath is filled with dishonor.”
    Her smile faded. “You are so honorable. Your father has raised you well, Prince Casimir.” She looked into the distance. “I cannot allow you to squander that on Thea any longer.”
    “I do not believe that is your decision to make, madam. While you have a claim on me, to be sure, you do not own my future.”
    Her smile returned, and Casimir felt the hair on his arms and neck rise in alarm.
    “But I do, Casimir. I do. I’m not going to debate this with you any longer. Your honor in all that you do has earned you a reprieve from the sad fate to which Aland and Thea sentenced you, and I shall ensure you make good use of it.”
    “Do you feel I am capable of making wise choices for myself?” He was thinking quickly, trying to fend off her next argument.
    “I do, generally. I think you are terribly misguided in your choice of a mate.”
    “Then perhaps you are willing to make a bargain?” Addled and weak though he felt, he also knew that Catrin was mad. She was mad, and she was a witch. This was no one to anger. He had to use his wits to get out of this. He would have to find a way to leave here with her blessing. What he would do from there, as one supposedly dead, he didn’t know. He couldn’t think about that at this point. The focus needed to be on getting away with agreement from Catrin.
    Catrin’s brows rose. “What sort of bargain?”
    “Allow me to prove that even though you feel I would be wasting my life, I am capable of making such decisions on my own. Allow me to have my life back fully.”
    “How would you prove such a thing?” Casimir was relieved to see that Catrin looked interested.
    “Set me a task, something with which I might prove myself to you. That I know myself best, and can be counted on to make the right choice.” He held his breath, hoping she would be persuaded.
    “I don’t think you did a very good job at that initially, young man. I saved you from the grave. You died, if you recall.” Her voice held contempt.
    “Is that not the best choice of all?”
    “Now I begin to wonder if you are mad. Please, explain how choosing to die is the best choice of all?”
    “Most have no choice when they die. It is an act of the Almighty, or fate, or accident. Correct?”
    “Yes.” The word came out of her slowly, as though she didn’t want to agree to anything that might give him a foothold in this argument.
    “Then how is it a poor decision that I chose when I was to die? I knew that should I fail, I would be choosing death. I took the opportunity to make that choice. The king gave me a way out. I chose not to take it.”
    “He offered you the chance to step away?” Casimir was surprised to hear confusion in the question. Her eyes were wide. He could tell she wasn’t expecting this information from him. While he hadn’t planned to expand on this, any