Time stopped when she stumbled and went slack, chestnut curls a billowing trail behind her as if to signal her pending fall. He watched—fuming, horrified—when she finally toppled, leaping from his perch before she even met the dirt.
Enough was enough. Hedda had gone too bloody far.
Brand’s feet hit the carpet of needles at the tree’s base, and he stomped through them without a care.
Hedda turned as he reached them, a haughty brow raised. “Your Highness.”
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” He didn’t bother to reign in the snarling tone of his voice.
“I am not, thank you for asking.” She pretended to examine her nails, as if she’d ever cared about such a thing. “Just in the middle of hardening our little softy Sorcerit. Yourself?”
The rage swept over him at her flippant words. Forget trying to breathe through it—he was fucking seething. He let it loose, let it have control, the world going red around him.
The stars floating above turned pink, the hanging moons along with them. Everything was awash in bloody hues, illuminated by the markings of his change, their patterns glowing as he grew and grew, towering over Hedda. He jerked his head as his horns curled, two extra sets sprouting free to cage his skull.
His chest was heaving by the time his reshaping was complete, a constant hum drumming inside of him to crush and maim and conquer. Thank the Sisters for the small mercy of that ridiculously expensive cloth he procured from his brother, Vann. It had stretched around his legs to protect some modicum of dignity. The tattered linen tunic hanging from his bulging shoulders was another matter.
“How fucking dare you, Second.” His voice was a depthless pit, a low wrath incarnate as he stared down at her. “I told you to train her, not abuse her.”
Lunara’s form was limp, her face half buried in the dirt, and her limbs were askew. He could tell from their position that she hadn’t even had the presence of mind to break her fall and protect her body.
A growl rumbled out of him at the sight. “The only reason I’m not choking the life out of you right now is because I knowshewould hate me for it.”
Brand bent and scooped Lunara into his arms. She didn’t so much as twitch, flopping awkwardly against his chest. Starsabove, she was so small when he was like this, fitting easily into the crook of one elbow. Fragile, helpless, completely unaware that he could easily crush her if he wanted to.
Fortunately for her, he’d never wanted anything less in his damned life.
He couldn’t resist clearing the tangle of hair from her exquisite face, tucking it gently away and stealing another stroke along one arched brow and down her high cheekbone.
Brand wasn’t quite sure whether he wished for the action to wake her, to make those sea-blue eyes flutter open and behold him in his rage form, or whether he wanted her to never know this had happened. To stay asleep and lost in her dreams until morning, unaware he’d held her this closely.
“You will never treat her thus again, Second.” He didn’t bother to look at Hedda. She was probably rolling her eyes, and he wouldn’t be able to control himself if he saw it.“Ifshe still comes to you tomorrow, take her to the spring cavern afterwards. It will help the pain.”
When Hedda huffed, Brand drew on every pitiful ounce of patience he possessed while raging and willed his hands to resist tightening into fists around Lunara’s vulnerable flesh in furious reaction.
“I don’t understand why she’s suddenly hurting.” Hedda’s sigh was like acid in his veins. “She was doing fine before. I only thought to show her that she has higher limits than she believes, as everyone does.”
Brand did turn on her then, lips peeling back to flash his fangs. “Pull your fucking head out of your arse for two minutes, and pay attention.”
Hedda was wise enough to hear the command in his tone. To realize he was not her friend right now, but an Imperial Son perilously close to snapping. She drew herself up and raised her chin, muscle ticking along her jaw, silent and waiting.
“She’s been healing during the day and then coming straight here. No gifts to ease the cost, no rest between. She’s caring for our people while you run her into the fucking ground. Is that a good enough explanation for you?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And where will you be taking her tomorrow, should she decide your training is still worth the fucking trouble?”
“To the spring cavern, Your Highness.”
“Good. You are dismissed.”
Brand didn’t wait for her to leave. Didn’t care where she went or how she got there. He’d turned all of his attention to the little moon in his arms.
Luna.
Yes, he liked that. Very much.
His larger size meant he moved more quickly, covering the distance to her room in a fraction of the time it would have taken otherwise. It was a travesty to lay her in bed still soiled with her own sick and the dull dusting of dirt on her skin, but there was no other choice.
