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“Jiron,” Ren said again, and moved closer. Jiron frowned down at him, confused, and my soul screamed with the horror of him not knowing his oldest friend.
Yet the moment before the prince wrapped his arms around his waist, something seemed to flash across his face.
“My prince,” Jiron rumbled, but even his normally soothing, deep voice was butchered into a rasp. “Are you alright?”
“AmIalright? Fuck, Jiron! You shouldn’t have…” Ren hissed out a pained breath and smacked at the larger man’s chest, making him arch an eyebrow as he gazed down at the prince. “Ow! I’m pissed at you! Why did you…why…why…”
He broke down into racking sobs and Jiron shuddered, gathering him closer and wrapping his huge arms around him. The guard’s hands looked too fucked up to be capable of working properly, but if they caused him pain, he didn’t show it.
Ren’s legs gave out and they both sank to their knees on the floor, clutching at each other.
“I am sorry I could not be there for you, Your Highness.”
Ren cursed at him some more through his tears. I felt sick.
We’d been wandering the continent while he was beingtortured.By the Blessed, Jiron had paid a heavy price for our freedom.
Starling inched closer and placed a sparking hand on the man’s cheek, smoothing the skin and bending his ruined fingers back into place. He coughed violently and then flexed them, glancing up at her and murmuring his gratitude.
Jiron shot a fond look down at Ren, who returned it.
“Is…”
I didn’t know how to ask it, but Star seemed to hear the question anyway.
“His body is now fully healed,” she said quietly to me, withdrawing back to my side. “His mind is still a mess.”
I couldn’t breathe as I watched the prince and his guard touch each other reverently: little presses of fingertips to the other’s jaw, arm, shoulder, like they were testing out this newness between them. Ren’s hopeful yet sorrowful look. Jiron’s flickers of confusion amid his adoration.
“You may say that,” said El, coming to join us with his eyebrows raised, “but this is the best we’ve seen him since we got him out of there over a week ago. If Ren’s mere presence can do this, there’shope,Your Highness. We will get Jiron back, I promise.”
I nodded, swallowing down the lump in my throat that was making it hard to breathe and watching the men catch each other up on what they’d missed.
And then I saw the moment that Jiron reverted back to the silent, unresponsive state he’d been in when we’d entered the room, staring through Ren as if he wasn’t even there. Then he flinched at something I couldn’t see. Nothing could rouse him from that chilling detachment, not even Ren’s soft little kisses and imaginative threats.
The prince rose to his feet and turned to us.
“Tell me you murdered thefuckout of them,” he said to his guards, in what was little more than a snarl with syllables.
Elías inclined his head in confirmation, the faintest of grim smiles edging on his lips. “Some of them took hours to die,” he told him quietly, and Ren growled out his approval.
“My prince?” The guard from earlier was back, nervously peering around the door. Luis folded his huge arms. “They’re ready for you in the throne room.”
“Then they’ll just have to wait until Jiron returns to us,” Ren said. “Because the prick isn’t missing my coronation. Mathias, two buttons, please.”
*
Chapter Fifty-Two
I’d been prepared to wait hours, if necessary. Days, weeks, whatever it took.
But to the relief of those gathered, Jiron came back to himself within the quarter hour, and now stood proudly at the base of the wide dais with Elías, Luis, and Mat as I was crowned king of Quareh. It felt a little surreal when the heavy crown was placed on my head – as soon as I got chance, I was getting that shit swapped out for something lighter as I had done with the one I’d worn as prince – and I felt the weight of more than just the gold.
The lives of those we’d lost also settled on my shoulders.
Ademar, Altagracia.
Horacio and Laurita, my nephews Basilio and Félix.
