Page 48 of Bound

Jayd visibly paled—as she should have. Brick had to concede to the instability of his own composure. As long as he was on this island, nobody was getting to Jayd unless he knew about it, present company excepted. Maybe not even then. They could make up new rules after he left—

Oh, hell no.

Now wasn’t the time to tromp that bed of nails, especially as Jayd’s color returned to normal, mere seconds before her obvious preparation for laying into her siblings again.

“So let me get this straight.” She slammed hands on her hips and pivoted with purpose. Here came the deliberate pace that would one day strike mortal fear into her offspring. “Trystan Carris will be inward bound within the hour, determined to take over the palais and possibly the throne itself, with the help of his troops as well as a well-trained special ops team. We, on the other hand, are on the defensive and low on capable operatives—which means every able-bodied Arcadian is needed for this effort. Except, it seems, me.”

When she stopped, an arched stained-glass window framed her small posture. As her brothers looked on with rigid scowls, Brick almost succumbed to a smile. Since the stained glass depicted the entwined dove and hawk of their family’s crest, he was damn near sure she’d purposely stopped in that spot.

“Instead, it seems I am to be stowed away in an ivory tower, embroidering kerchiefs for our soldiers to dab up their own blood from the battles. Unless I am not able-bodied for even that?”

Once more, the brothers were eerie matches to their torture machines. Samsyn growled like a foaming dog. Shiraz rolled his eyes like he’d gulped too much water. Evrest was again the frowning statesman, ramming his hands at his back with taut tension.

“Fembla,” the king murmured. “Do you think, after all we have seen you accomplish, we would insinuate that?”

“No.” Jayd dropped her head between her slumping shoulders. “So that means you are insinuating the other choice. That I am no longer Arcadian.”

“Fuck,” Samsyn rumbled.

“Are you serious?” Shiraz leveled.

“And are you questioning why?” Brick interceded. His query was equally sincere. As much as he already respected these guys, it seemed they needed to hear a few things. Truths that their little sister was all but screaming at them.

“I do not recall your opinion being solicited,” Shiraz bit out.

“Well, perhaps it should’ve been,” Brick countered. “Forest through the trees here, guys?”

“Says the bonsun who helped our sister paint the forest blue?” Samsyn erupted. “With some fucking sketchy brushes?”

Brick smirked. “Sorry, honey. Euphemisms won’t get you anywhere.”

“But they might land your swiss cheese ass in the middle of the Misere Swamp!”

“Oh no you will not.” Jayd was all bared teeth and clawed hands, punctuating herself with a thwunk of hands into Samsyn’s chest. “What, in every speck of hell there is, has lodged itself up your stubborn ass?”

Samsyn’s nostrils billowed. “Besides the fact that he is not denying—”

“What?” she spat. “What might or might not have happened between us? How does that factor into anything right now, except if my virginity is still a bargaining chip for you all?”

“The saints wept.” The warrior yanked a handful of his long hair free from its queue and pulled hard. “Jayd Dawne, for fuck’s sake. You know that was never an important factor—”

“Until now? Because if you mean that, I fail to see what Brickham still has to prove to you. He saved my life, Syn. He did it on several occasions. He put up his whole body as collateral for mine—”

“So now he has come to collect repayment from your body?”

“Whoa.” Brick threw up his hands. “First, I don’t roll that way, buddy. Not now, not ever. Second, last time I checked, your sister was a grown woman with a damn good head on her shoulders and the ability to use it. Perhaps it’s time you gave her a little credit for that. I have, which is why number three is so easy here.” He tucked in his thumbs and pinkies, fanning out the proper count on both hands. “Your sister’s definitely onto something here. Maybe you really haven’t bothered to check for logs up your ass because you’re talking out of both sides of it.”

Shiraz stomped up with a ferocious glare. “How dare you!”

“No. How dare you,” Brick countered.

“Once again, I do not recall your opinion—”

“Being solicited. Got that part, man—but sometimes, nasty medicine is the best thing for you.” He curled in all his fingers except his pointers, just in time for Samsyn’s furious fume. “Simmer the fuck down. I see your side of things too, gentlemen. And I get it. I really do. She’s your little sister, but she’s more than that. She’s something unique and extraordinary. Losing her in any way is likely a terrifying idea for you.”

He waited a moment, letting that one sink in—but not just for the guys. He wanted Jayd to see their faces tighten, confirming his truth. He wanted her to feel the change in the air and to know without a doubt how much she truly meant to them.

His cause got a boost, surprising but satisfying, from the king himself. “Terrifying does not begin to describe it,” Evrest muttered with grim force.