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Conreth didn’t deserve Lorian. He never had. Lorian had more loyalty in his little finger than Conreth could even conceive of.
I nestled closer to him, and he stroked my back.
“It’s the fae, too, isn’t it?” I murmured.
I felt him nod. “My people…they’ve suffered. Not like your people. But losing our power, fighting against Regner’s constant attacks, it has worn them down. They’re now just as likely to turn on one another as they are to fight our enemies. And Conreth…” His voice tightened, and he was silent for a long moment. “He could have achieved so much more. Over the last few decades, at every opportunity to make our people stronger, he focused instead on cementing his power. My father would be so disappointed in him, Prisca. And yet my mother would be brokenhearted at the fact that we can barely look at each other.”
My throat ached. How had Conreth turned out this way? Why?
“He sees you as a threat,” I said.
“Yes. I would never turn on him. I never wanted power. I just wanted a brother. Seeing the way you love yours, the way you’d do anything for them without question, it hurts.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, wildcat.” He dropped a kiss to my head. “Don’t misunderstand me. I adore seeing it, and I’m so fucking happy you have family like that. Family who would protect you, no matter what. But I look at how you and Demos would die for each other already—I’ll never forget how he took that arrow for Tibris, simply to spare you pain. And yet Conreth…”
I nodded. Conreth would wrestle any happiness from his brother without a second thought if it was more convenient for him. And yet…Lorian was naturally respected by his people. He was also ruthless, arrogant, unyielding, and stubborn. Not to mention, he was more powerful than Conreth. So why had he put up with Conreth for so long?
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
I told him and he sighed. “Galon and the others. Conreth allows us to stay together simply because I follow his orders. Bad things happen when we separate.”
He was silent for a long moment, and I knew he was thinking of Cavis. His arms tightened around me. “Once, twenty years ago, I refused to follow one of Conreth’s orders. In retaliation, he decided each of us was needed in different places across the fae lands and Gromalia.”
“He split you up.”
“Yes. Marth…with most of his power gone, he was vulnerable. He nearly died. Conreth made his point.”
I was shaking with fury, retribution burning in my gut. Lorian attempted to soothe me, gently stroking my back, and I forced myself to take a deep breath. I couldn’t make Conreth be the brother Lorian deserved. It was unlikely that would ever happen.
Lorian’s hands slid low on my back. “Leave it, Prisca. Be with me.”
I heard what he wasn’t saying. We had such little time together like this. We needed to make the most of each and every moment. Turning to run my lips along his neck, I smiled as he tensed. “Why don’t you distract me then, hmm?”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
By the time we were ready to go through with our plan the next night, my heart seemed to have lodged itself in my throat. Even after reluctantly agreeing that this was the best strategy, Lorian held me close, nuzzling my hair. “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t either. But I’ll have the dragon.”
Next to me, Madinia heaved a put-upon sigh. Lorian’s chest shook with his chuckle.
He clasped my chin in his hand, tilting my head until he was staring down into my eyes. “Be careful,” he said.
“You too.”
“Time to go,” Rythos announced. “Everyone else is ready.”
Lorian’s gaze met his, and Rythos nodded. “I’ll bring her back to you.”
I glanced at Galon, who rolled his eyes at me. “And I’ll bring him back to you. You’d think you two had never been parted before.” But he gave me a faint smile of understanding. He had, after all, been present while Lorian had killed his way across this continent looking for me.
Lorian’s mouth found mine, and I breathed in the scent of him one last time before forcing myself to step out of his arms.
He turned, following Galon and Marth, while I fell into step with Rythos and Madinia. We needed to be in position. It was time to rescue Jamic.
Winding through alleys reeking of rot and piss, we made our way deeper into the slums. Someone let out a hacking cough, while a child wailed incessantly. The cool night air did nothing to remove the sweat on the back of my neck.
