Despite everything, his feelings for Gramlithyn ran deep, and he couldn’t betray him on such a basic level by breaking the unspoken confidence they’d shared since Gramlithyn had first learned that they were mates. That didn’t mean Pyxlevir wasn’t furious at him or forgave him for everything that followed his birthday.
“I don’t know, Cris, I don’t think any of us did anything to deserve to be dumped as friends,” Colburn reasoned. “I was on the camping trip with him. He didn’t say shit to me about wandering off into the sunset. I assumed he’d spend another couple of days and miss us so much that he’d return. Or, I don’t know,careabout the future he’d planned. Instead, it was just the three of us who went to college, graduated, and now are working in our chosen jobs full time.”
“Colby’s right. A lot has happened in the past six years,” Pyxlevir added, his heart aching at the loss of Gramlithyn. He’d added important milestones to his treasure trove of memories without his former friend and the other half of his soul at his side. “Holidays. Graduations. Promotions.”
“Are you saying you’ve grown too far apart from Gramlithyn now?” Crispin asked.
“I don’t know,” Pyxlevir responded, despairing at having Gramlithyn absent during such important years of growth. “But I’m not the same little elf I was at eighteen. And Gramlithyn can’t be either. We don’t know what he’s experienced or where he sees his future.”
Colburn crossed his arms, and his jaw flexed. “Okay, but I’m not willing to turn my back on family. We can choose not to be best friends anymore, but Semira and Laconifel are D’Vaires. Pyx, Gramlithyn’s parents are some of the people closest to your dads. No matter what, Gramlithyn will be part of our lives for eternity. We have to find a way to coexist.”
“So, are you saying you think I’m right and we should text him?” Crispin asked.
“Nope,” Colburn retorted. “I’m willing to hear him out, but he can damn well make the first move.”
“I’m with Colby,” Pyxlevir immediately added.
Crispin sighed heavily. “Fine, I won’t text him because we need a united front, but I want my objection filed and remembered.”
Pyxlevir managed a wry grin. “Okay. Noted. Now, let’s go listen to the centaurs bitch about Gramlithyn.”
Because of the secret he was keeping, Pyxlevir was no longer comfortable showing much emotion about Gramlithyn, despite how much the situation continued to tie him in knots. But at least he could hear his own frustration and pain being echoed in the words of people who also loved Gramlithyn and understood nothing about his choices in the past six years.
∞∞∞
After a glaring—but mostly silent—Killian had been summoned by the Reverent Knights, he had dropped Gramlithyn and Dasan off at a Dérive station in Vegas. The hotel Gramlithyn had picked wouldn’t allow them to check in for several hours, so they had explored the city. Since Dasan was constantly hungry, they also ate breakfast and lunch.
Now they were finally in the privacy of a respectable room easily covered by the amount in Gramlithyn’s account, and Dasan was fluttering through the space in his bird form, leaving Gramlithyn alone with his thoughts. He’d promised the Reverent Knights he’d contact his parents, and he would, but he had to build up some confidence first.
It was stupid. Gramlithyn had grown up in a loving home, and he knew he was missed. They’d probably be ecstatic to know Gramlithyn was a few minutes away from their home. Given how fast news traveled through the D’Vaire family, they were probably already aware he was lurking nearby.
So, why was he hesitating? The answer was simple. Fear. They’d raised him to respect his tribe, his family, and Fate. But the moment Gramlithyn had encountered the first hurdle thrown into his path, he’d run from home, cut off his hair, and thrown his elven attire in the trash. He’d pierced his ears and even had a few tattoos. All in the name of rebellion.
Because the one thing no one had prepared Gramlithyn for was being rejected by the lone elf on the planet holding his heart.
Sick of his inadequacies and his foolishness, Gramlithyn reminded himself he was no longer a silly teenager. He was a grown man and could handle anything. Or so he hoped. Digging out his cellphone to avoid allowing his brain to dredge up another excuse not to talk to the two people who’d loved him unconditionally since the day he was born, Gramlithyn’s rush of bravery vanished.
Instead of calling, he took the coward’s route and texted them an invitation to his hotel room. Gramlithyn wasn’t ready to return to his childhood home. Had his parents left his bedroom alone? His room was the space where he had shared countless hours at Pyxlevir’s side as they played with toys, gossiped, or did homework.
It took only seconds before Gramlithyn’s maudlin thoughts were interrupted by a response from his mother.
“Dasan,” Gramlithyn said. “My parents are coming over. You might want to shift and put on some pants.”
The hummingbird disappeared into the bathroom, and a short blond raced into the bedroom barely a minute later.Gramlithyn swore the man could move as fast as a sentinel sometimes.
“You have parents?” Dasan asked.
“I wasn’t hatched. Wait, were you? Birds are hatched, right?”
Dasan rolled his eyes. “In the wild. I’m a shifter. You had to go to school as a kid, right? What is up with Council education if you need to ask me shit like that?”
Gramlithyn chuckled. “I went to the best school in the Council.”
“Then you should’ve paid better attention. Prep me for this meeting. What should I know about your folks?”
A knock sounded, and both men started in fright.
“You’re half zebra and half elf, how did your parents fucking fly here?” Dasan muttered as he rubbed his chest.
