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“He still does it.”
“I didn’t ask him to.”
Roth leaned forward a little more. “And that’s exactly why you should make some effort. At the very least, keep your mouth shut if you truly can’t stand to talk to him. You have no idea what he went through when King Taven betrayed you and after he was separated from you.”
Roth straightened and turned away as Aspen went cold on the fence. He’d seen the brands and figured Lord Delwin had wanted to mark his slave with his last initial too since Oriel would technically be a valuable piece of property.
But truly, he didn’t know too much about what happened to Oriel. He could have suffered anything.
“Did you get him directly?” asked Aspen.
“Ask Oriel. He’ll tell you if he wants.”
Aspen clamped his mouth shut. Guilt hooked its claws in his chest once more because he still loved the bastard even though he tried not to. He imagined Oriel and Roth humping in an inn room, and his blood boiled as his mind struggled with the conflict.
“You’re just his fucktoy,” hissed Aspen.
“Pfft.”
“He won’t love you either.”
Roth didn’t even grace him with a response which just infuriated Aspen all the more. He didn’t even try to deny that they had screwed.
Oriel finally returned. “Come on. He’ll take us. Thank Elira because he was about to go, and I wasn't even sure if he’d be here at all.”
Who would take them? Aspen had no idea who or what they'd talked about in the past days since he always hung back, and he wasn’t about to ask now. Once Oriel led them to the docks, he said Captain Nalha had someone who would take the horses. He’d refused payment and given Oriel money instead for the mounts out of respect and loyalty. Someone seemed to think of Oriel as the proper heir.
Aspen’s heart pounded when they stopped near the gangplank of a modest but sturdy ship with the word Windrunner painted on the side.
Fuck. No way. The sounds of the docks faded a little as Aspen’s chest tightened at the idea of getting on. Going below deck. Being trapped in the hold. Sailors were on board, and some were in the rigging. They might all come after him.
Oriel’s voice cut through the fog of horror. “Aspen, get down.”
A burly man had the other two horse's bridles, and a sailor was taking their packs up the gangplank.
Oriel gestured. “Come on.”
“You planned this?” asked Aspen.
“I prayed that Captain Nalha would be around when we came here because this was typically a stop for him. Thankfully, he was, and we better be damn grateful. This will save us a lot of time, and we won’t be stuck on a regular passenger ship-”
“I’m not getting on a ship at all,” said Aspen. “You’re fucking crazy.”
Guilt flashed on Oriel’s face. “It won’t be like last time. I promise. He’s helping us.”
“I’m not going.”
“And just where do you plan to go?”
Aspen didn’t have an answer. Without Oriel to torment, hanging onto his useless love would just torture him further. He might as well die now. “You can’t drag me around for the rest of your life.”
“True, but you’re staying until I’m sure that you’re well enough.”
Aspen almost could have laughed. Well was a fantasy at this point. “Bye, Oriel.”
He turned the horse’s head, intending to at least get off the docks first. Then he could find some whiskey, buy some laudanum, and slip off somewhere. Probably in an inn room. The owner could feed him to someone who had pigs and be done with the mess quite quickly. Aspen wouldn’t have to feel anymore. Oriel and Roth could get to work on forgetting him which would take about ten seconds. They had each other and didn’t need him.
Oriel lunged for the bridle and barely managed to get a hold. The horse danced sideways as Aspen tried to swipe at his arm. “Let go, you fucking idiot! You’re scaring-”
