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“Don’t give me any of that shit,” Davi cut him off. “My life isn’t your fault, and I’m not looking for your sympathy. Trust me, I know it could be a lot worse. It wasn’t horrible. I wasn’t abused or starved. The only thing I know is that this shouldn’t have been my life. I should have had an entirely different life in Stormbreak, possibly with my brother. And I’m not the only one like that. There are a shit-ton of people who were stolen from Erya who just might feel the same way.”
Eno held up his hands in surrender. “All right, all right. You’ve got me convinced. I won’t put up a fight, even if I’d rather you be in Stormbreak with me.”
Davi narrowed his eyes on him and straightened in his chair. “Really? Is that where you’re going to be? Because it sounds to me that you’re traveling all around the globe with the king? Am I going to head to Stormbreak only to hear about you in New Rosanthe or over in Caspagir?”
A soft sigh slipped from Eno’s lips. “Honestly, I think the only person in the world who might be more homesick for Stormbreak than me is the king.” Eno closed his eyes against the unexpected burn of tears. “We’ve been traveling for so long. He lost his mother, and he never got a chance to truly mourn for her. He misses his people. He misses his home. I know it even though he never says the words. We all want to go home and for this to be over.”
“But you can’t…”
Eno shook his head. “Not until it’s over. Not until all of Thia has been made safe from the threat of New Rosanthe and the mad goddess.”
“And then you’ll return to Stormbreak,” Davi supplied.
Eno nodded. “Happily.”
“Or…you could always help me for a while.”
Eno’s heart stopped in his chest and he coughed, trying to suck in a little air. “What?”
Davi laid both of his hands flat on the table and leaned forward, a wicked grin on his lips. “Look, I know we’re close to getting all the answers we need to break this kidnapping scheme. If we’re not done when you and the king finish saving the world, you could always come back to Brightspire. You could help me for a while. It probably won’t take more than another year. Two, tops. We’d work together. It would be great. I’m sure the king would give you some time off to help me on this mission. Afterward, we’d go to Stormbreak together.”
Eno could only sit there. He didn’t breathe. Didn’t blink. His brain was too full of his brother’s suggestion. Working with his brother. Saving so many Erya children and returning them home again. Finally getting to know the last blood relative he had in the world.
But living and working in Brightspire with Davi meant leaving Rayne behind. It meant handing over the safety of the king to someone else. For longer than he could recall, those two things were the center of his entire world. How could he walk away from his lover and his duty?
Yes, it might be for only a year or two.
And he had no doubt that Rayne would say that he understood, but his heart screamed at the idea of being away from Rayne for that long.
“Whoa! Geez! Breathe, Eno. I didn’t mean to break you,” Davi said with a cackle.
“Sorry,” Eno suddenly gasped. “I just…I never thought you’d suggest that.”
Davi flashed him a crooked smile and laughing eyes. “I get it. Don’t stress. I know you’ve got a lot of things going. I’m proud of you for being the bodyguard to the king. And you and Rayne; it’s serious?”
“Very.”
“You gonna propose?”
Eno slapped his hand over his heart like he was having an attack. “Can you stop with the shocks? I can’t take it.”
Davi snorted and laughed. “Gods, you’re crazy.” He held up a hand before Eno could snap at him. “Okay. One day at a time. I get it.”
“Are you married?” Eno suddenly asked. Maybe he’d totally read things wrong with Nina and Vitor. His brother could be happily married with kids while acting as a spy on the side.
He quickly shook his head. “Nope.” He didn’t elaborate and Eno didn’t want to dig. Yet.
“Think about it. I’d like to work with you. Spend some time getting to know my big brother.” He paused and shrugged. “But if it has to wait until I move to Stormbreak, I’ll wait.” His grin grew. “Vitor already got me my Erya paperwork stating that I’m an Erya citizen. I also have a passport. He used his personal address. I can go home anytime I want.”
The tears returned and this time Eno had to rub his eyes to get rid of them. His throat burned and he couldn’t talk for a second. Home. He wanted to go home, and he wanted his brother there waiting for him.
He was still rubbing his eyes when he heard Davi’s chair scrape across the floor. There were no sounds of footsteps, but arms suddenly closed around him, wrapping about his shoulders. A cheek rested on the top of his head.
“We’ll be home soon,” Davi whispered.
And Eno desperately clung to that thought. They would all be home soon.
TWELVE
