Max thought for a moment before replying, "As you wish."


    I knew he wasn''t happy about it, but he would always stand behind me, ready to catch any ball I threw his way.


    I slept soundly through the night. When I woke up, I heard Garrett arguing with Max outside. "You''re leaving again, leaving me all alone! No, I''m going with you this time. I don''t like this country. You can have your own country to yourself."


    Max''s voice was much deeper, tinged with an authoritative tone. "What, have you forgotten what you promised?"


    "I haven''t forgotten. But mother''s revenge isplete. You were supposed toe back and take over this position. Uncle Babur might seem like he''s on our side, but his motive is clear. He wants mother''s ashes so he can be buried with her. Are you really going to give them to him?"


    Silence from Max''s side.


    "I know you''ve been pulling the strings behind the scenes all these years, which is why Uncle Babur can''t pull anything. He doesn''t even dare to make a move. But what about me? I have my own dreams, my own ambitions," Garrett said, his voice growing more and more aggrieved, almost on the verge of tears.


    I could almost picture a face identical to Max''s, crying while talking to him. The thought was strangelyical.


    "What dreams? Being a poet? After copying so many poems, you still haven''t produced any masterpieces. If you have too much free time, I''ll have someone enroll you in royal administration courses."


    Max''s ruthless shutdown left Garrett speechless.


    "Ss, I hate you," Garrett dered angrily before storming off. Only then did I step out of the room.


    "He seems genuinely hurt."


    "He needs to learn to grow up." Max looked down, rubbing the ring on his finger.


    At some point, he had put his ring back on. I nced at my own hand and saw that mine was on as well.


    Max had always been a man of action, not words.


    His dynamic with Garrett was likely his way of teaching his brother not to rely on anyone but himself—to either achieve his dreams or bear the country''s responsibility.


    He was truly prepared to leave this ce with me.


    But just as I thought we were about to embark on our journey home, Babur arrived with a group of old


    court officials to stage a formal


    intervention. They were all dressed more formally than they had been


    for yesterday''s engagement,


    shouting in unison, "Ss must rule!"


    "Ss for king!"


    Max stood with his hands behind his back, taking a step to shield me. "Go back to the room."


    I pretended to do as he said, but as soon as I was out of sight, I heard him address the officials. "To the Council Hall."


    A path cleared through the grand assembly, and Max walked down the middle, the officials following in his wake.


    The weight on his shoulders was one of responsibility.


    Should a person be more selfish? All I wanted was a Max who belonged only to me.


    But his name was Ss, and he was the king of Serythia.


    "See? My brother can''t leave with you."


    At some point, Garrett had appeared outside, speaking to me through the closed door.


    "You put Babur up to this, didn''t you? You''re not as simple-minded as Max thinks. You''re even more cunning than he is."


    Max probably adored his younger brother so much that no matter what Garrett did, the worst punishment he could muster was making him copy a few poems.


    "Then why don''t youe with me and see just how much my brother owes this country, and how he intends to repay it?" Garrett didn''t deny my usation.


    I pushed the door open and went with him to the Council Hall.


    Once there, Garrett pulled me behind


    arge screen and had me sit down. I perfect view of


    From here, bad a


    Max seated on the high throne. He had the innate aura of a king.


    "My brother can''t see you, so feel free to watch from here," Garrett- said, standing beside me with kis hands sped behind is back looking uncannily like Max