Tyne could accept falling out of love with someone and falling in love with someone new, even though it was hard to imagine the bond between a mage and his shield being so weak it would allow for that to happen.What he couldn’t accept was how cruel Peyton and Amber had been about it.
But not Meyer.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Tyne said gruffly.
Meyer frowned.“I left you.”
“You didn’t.Peyton left me.Peyton fell in love with my cousin, and Peyton was the one who didn’t apologize for hurting me.You never hurt me, yet here you are, apologizing for it.You’re not him.”
Meyer stared.Tyne could only imagine how he felt.After he’d tried talking to Tyne and telling him that he wasn’t Peyton so many times, he’d probably lost hope that Tyne would ever accept that.
Tyne had known it.He just hadn’t been able to look at Meyer without thinking about Peyton.It was time to let Peyton go, though.He was never coming back, and that was a good thing.Tyne didn’twanthim to come back.
He wasn’t sure what he wanted or what he could have with Meyer, and they might not have the opportunity to find out, but it was time to stop pushing him away and give him a chance to show that his words weren’t empty promises.
Chapter Seven
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TYNE NEEDED TIME ALONE, so he was glad when Meyer eventually left.He might have accepted that Meyer wasn’t Peyton and that Peyton was never coming back, but he needed to grieve.
He’d known he would never get Peyton back when they’d started finding their dragons, but for decades before that, he’d hoped.As much as he hated Peyton, he thought that maybe, after everything that happened, Peyton would have changed his mind.Tyne had prayed they would get a second chance.
They wouldn’t.Peyton was gone for good.That didn’t mean Tyne couldn’t get a second chance with Meyer, though.
He glanced at the door that connected their rooms.He hadn’t moved since Meyer had left half an hour ago.He didn’t have the strength to get up from the couch.He should go to bed and rest because they were flying home tomorrow, but instead, his mind was stuck on the knowledge that Meyer was behind that door and that no matter how much he looked like Peyton, he was a completely different man.
Tyne had loved Peyton, but he hadn’t been blind to Peyton’s shortcomings.Sometimes, he thought that they’d gotten together way too early.They’d already been dating when they were fifteen, which wasn’t unheard of for a mage and their dragon, but usually, that kind of relationship came with age.Most people met and fell for their shields when they were in their twenties, and Tyne thought it would’ve been better.He’d been blinded by love, though, and maybe Peyton had been, too.Maybe they hadn’t been supposed to be together.If they hadn’t fallen in love so young, Tyne could have found another shield, and Peyton could have been happy with Amber.
Thinking about that was pointless.Peyton was gone.Tyne had lost him, but then, he’d already lost him before Carlyle took his memories.Tyne was left with Meyer, and he had to make a decision.
That meant more thinking, which he wasn’t sure he had in him.
He finally got up from the couch and took off the clothes his mother had chosen for him to wear at dinner.He dumped them in a corner, not planning on taking them with him when he left.He was relieved to find that someone had left a plain t-shirt and a pair of shorts in the dresser, and he quickly pulled them on.He’d showered before dinner, so after brushing his teeth, he was ready for bed.
But his brain wouldn’t settle.It was going round and round in a cycle of thinking about Meyer and Peyton, and Tyne knew he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep.He tried for about half an hour before getting up again and striding toward the balcony door.
That was the one thing he missed about this place.The balcony opened on the garden, and even though summer was ending, he could still smell the flowers.He loved living at the castle, but there wasn’t a garden there.Everything was made of stone, which was great for protecting the people who lived there but not so great for growing plants.
He almost turned around when he saw that the balcony was shared between the two bedrooms and that Meyer was leaning against the railing.Unfortunately, Meyer heard him and turned.He changed, too.He looked relaxed, and Tyne desperately wanted to reach for him.He stopped himself before he could, then wondered why he should.
He and Meyer hadn’t talked about what kind of relationship they could have, and Tyne was terrified that Meyer would hurt him as much as Peyton had, but they might not have a lot of time left.There was no way to know if they would both survive the fight with Carlyle.Tyne had every intention of being the person to kill Carlyle, but what would Meyer do?
This might be Tyne’s one chance.
Meyer opened his mouth, possibly to ask Tyne how he was feeling because he always worried about that, but Tyne didn’t give him time to speak.He reached out and grabbed Meyer’s arm, pulling him close.Meyer made a surprised sound, but he came easily, and he didn’t push Tyne away when their lips met.
It was like being thrown back into a memory, but at the same time, it felt completely new.Tyne recognized the shape of Meyer’s jaw when he touched it.He recognized the softness of his lips.
But he didn’t recognize the gentleness in Meyer and how cautious he was.Peyton had always been one to forge ahead and get what he wanted, but Meyer felt like he didn’t want to risk hurting Tyne.He was careful, even though Tyne had been the one to kiss him first.
Maybe if Peyton had been different, if he’d been more like Meyer, he wouldn’t have left Tyne.Tyne would never know, and that was okay.He didn’t need to know.Peyton was gone, and he had Meyer in his arms.
He gently guided Meyer toward the door he’d left open.Meyer moved backward, clinging to Tyne’s forearms with both hands.He didn’t hesitate to follow Tyne’s lead.It was as if he trusted Tyne, which was humbling after what Tyne had put him through.
Tyne wasn’t going to break Meyer’s trust.He might not know what the future held for them, but he knew what he wanted, and he was done fighting it.
He had a second chance to be with his shield.He wouldn’t waste it.
