I take a moment to form my next question carefully because if I don’t, Luca will refuse to answer. And I need something to go on. ‘Have you met Eissa before all of this? There’s something here. I can tell.’
Luca bites his lip and quickly remembers why that’s a bad idea, soothing the cut corner with his tongue. A full minute goes by before he answers. ‘We met in Vegas. He and I…’ he stops, but I know what he doesn’t tell me.
‘More than one night?’ I ask.
He shakes his head. ‘He pretended not to know me when I got home. It hurt. I thought…’ He shakes his head. ‘Not important. But I trust him. And I spoke with Everest a few weeks ago. He told me that Eissa had a human companion who died. He’s not looking for one again. It was a night of fun, but he cares enough about all of us that he’ll protect me. That’s all this is.’
I can see the hurt in his face now, and I want to hug him, but I don’t think it’ll help. ‘I’ll handle the family, but I’m going to miss you. I don’t want to do all of this without you.’
He huffs a laugh. ‘You have Cielo now.’
I do. And that matters. But Luca isn’t just my brother. He’s my best friend. ‘I hope this is all over soon.’
‘Same-same.’ His eyes start to get heavy, so I help him settle back down against the pillows, then drop to my knees beside the bed so I can hug him.
He hugs back, his arm weak, but the embrace lingers until I know I have to let him sleep. His eyes are closed now, and I don’t bother trying to wake him as I stand up and head into the main room.
Everest is still there, but Cielo, Rathyn, and Eissa are missing.
“Is he asleep?” Everest whispers.
I smile. “Yeah, but you don’t have to be quiet. He can’t hear you.”
Everest flushes. “Right. Uh…look. About Zane?—”
“I get it,” I tell him. “Trust me. If it were Luca, I don’t think I could just throw him to the wolves either.”
Everest lets out a puff of air. “No, but…I should have seen this coming. The bullshit his parents put into his head…” He trails off, and his eyes get wet again. “He’s so stubborn and thick-headed. I’m just sorry it came down to this.”
His heartbreak hurts me too, so I pull him into a hug, and we stay that way until I hear matching soft growls. Our respective Vyastil have arrived back in the room, and Cielo and Rathyn pull us away from each other.
Everest rolls his eyes, but I lean back into Cielo’s embrace, taking comfort from his possessiveness. He rocks me gently, and we sway there until the front door opens again and Eissa appears.
“It is currently safe for you to leave with Cielo,” he says. “But you must go soon.”
I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to say goodbye because I know I won’t get a chance to come back before Eissa and Luca are gone.
Eissa nods in understanding, clearly reading my expression. “I will do everything in my power to keep him safe and deliver any messages you two might want to send.”
That’s something. More than I should expect, but still, my heart breaks.
“And I really will check up on him,” Everest promises. “Eissa’s apartments are in the capital near Rath’s. I’ll have plenty of chances.”
I hate that it can’t be me, but at least it’s people I trust. “Thank you,” I whisper.
Everest hugs me again, then Rathyn touches my forehead with his, and Eissa does the same. Cielo says his own goodbyes, then he takes my hand and we slowly make our way back out to the car.
I wish I didn’t have to drive. I want to press my forehead against the cool windowpane and cry for a while, but I can’t. I need to get us home in once piece.
The moment we’re in the parking lot, Cielo turns to me and takes my hand in his. “Sad.”
It’s not really a question, but I nod anyway. “I’m going to miss him.”
“Yes.” Cielo lets out a short breath. “He weeel be safe.”
I know he will. It’s just hard to accept it has to be this way. I let out another slow breath, then say, “I need to tell my family.”
“I can go. Help,” Cielo says.
