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Brinna swallowed once more, suddenly imagining licking that visible skin. “From your Roaming?”
He made a sound of affirmation, then turned to look at her.
“A secret is only fair, Lucian,” she said lightly, teasing, grateful he couldn’t read her mind.
“You know gods don’t play fair, right?”
“How would I know that? I’ve never known one.”
One side of his mouth curled up. “Alright. One secret. Let’s see.” He paused. Then he grinned, his eyes dropping to meet hers. “I have never met anyone quite like you.”
“Horrible secret. Doesn’t count. Try again.”
His smile shifted. “I like this.”
“What?”
“Talking with you.”
“Not fighting, you mean.” She grinned.
He chuckled, then his smile faded. “Okay. A secret.” He turned his head away, looking straight ahead. “My father took my powers.”
“What?”
“I wasn’t supposed to leave Sol and I did.”
“To go to the wedding?”
He nodded.
“If you hadn’t been there–” Her gaze collided with his and held, cognizant of what would have happened if he hadn’t been there.
He was the first to look away. “Well, there are consequences.”
“Could I talk to him? Perhaps explain how chivalrous you’ve been… for me.”
“Chivalrous?” He grinned, though it seemed more to himself than to her. “That isn’t something I’ve ever been accused of being before.” There was a long pause. “My father wouldn’t put much weight on the word of a mortal.”
“What now?”
“He wants me to wait here in Sol and reflect on what a horrible god I’ve been.”
“Horrible?” This didn’t seem to add up to Brinna. Sure, Lucian was an unapproachable ass, and he’d been arrogantly rude on multiple occasions, but horrible didn’t seem quite right, anymore. In fact, since he’d brought her to Sol, he’d been rather… wonderful, aside from the “not my type” comment, which had wounded her pride.
“I trapped my brother in an enchantment that lasted 100 years for him—I won’t bore you with the details of it—but he would have died in there and night would have been lost had your sister not saved him.”
She sat up, the blanket pooling around her hips when she did. “Wait. Auri? This is why you believe you owe her?”
He nodded, his eyes tracing her face, then dipping lower before jumping back up. “I deserve the solitude and the stripping of my power.”
Brinna flopped back against her pillow. “The Great Nap Escapade.”
“What is that?”
So Brinna explained it to him. Eventually, Lucian scooted down on the bed, his head on the pillow next to her as he filled her in on his side of the story, explaining how Auri had saved the world.
“My sister? Auri?”
