“You have nothing to be sorry for!” A’bbni replied, his eyes widening. “I should be apologizing to you for making assumptions.”
Lai shook his head. “No, Your Highness, you don’t have to apologize to me.”
“Please,” A’bbni said, waving his hand a little. “Just call me A’bbni.”
He saw Lai’s cheeks grow pink at that. “Are you sure, Your Highness?”
“Yes,” A’bbni said firmly.
Lai gave him a small smile. “As you wish.”
The thrill was back, making him blush. “I… I assume you don’t want me to call you Vr Ii-Ablewood.”
“Gods, no,” Lai said, jerking up just a little at the address. “First of all, thank you for the compliment, but it would be Chea-Ablewood. And you can just call me Lai.” A’bbni blinked in surprise, and Lai laughed. “Yes, I know the goblin class structure, Vr Er-Ha’sen.”
A’bbni laughed. “You are full of surprises, Lai.”
“I am,” Lai agreed with a grin that sent heat through A’bbni’s veins again. “I’ll tell you a secret not even your brother knows, if you’d like.”
A’bbni ducked his head slightly. “Only if you want to,” he said, more than a little aware he was shyly gazing up at Lai through his lashes again.
Lai shrugged. “It’s not much of a secret, but my name is actually Nikolai.”
“Nikolai,” A’bbni repeated. “Why don’t you go by that?”
Lai shrugged again. “My mother called me by my full name. When she died, I left it with her.”
A’bbni felt unexpected tears burn in his eyes at that, and he quickly blinked them away. He was not going to cry in front of Lai. “Thank you for telling me,” he said, giving the half-elf a small smile. “Nikolai is a lovely name, but I’m sure I’m mangling it.” There were multiple sounds in there that were not found in Hanen.
“No, you have quite a good ear,” Lai replied with another bright smile. “I do prefer Lai, though.”
“Then I will call you Lai, and you will call me A’bbni.”
“All right. A’bbni.”
His name on Lai’s tongue stole the breath from his lungs, and A’bbni ducked his head again, feeling his heart race in his chest. He jumped when the washroom door opened, and Shi’chen stepped out, dressed in fresh, clean clothes, his hair still damp. A’bbni took the opportunity to distract himself, giving his brother a warm smile. “Feel better, i-sha?”
“Much,” Shi’chen said, sliding onto the bed next to him and giving him a hug. A’bbni closed his eyes as the familiar scent of his brother enveloped him, along with the underlying scent of sandalwood and honey from the bath oils. “Almost like home.”
“Almost,” A’bbni said softly.
Lai stood up from the chair, stretching just enough that A’bbni couldn’t help but stare. “I should go, let you two talk,” he said in Hanen-shii, giving them both a warm smile. “It was nice to finally meet you, A’bbni.”
“You too, Lai,” A’bbni said softly, the heat dancing over his face again as Lai said his name. The half-elf grabbed his pack and strode out the door, closing it with a click behind him.
Chapter fifteen
Shi'chen
“Youlikehim.”Shi’chenhadn’t meant to make A’bbni jump after the door had closed behind Lai, but he did, and his twin gave him a soft jab in the ribs with his elbow. “I knew you would.”
“I just met him.”
“Hasn’t stopped you before,” Shi’chen teased.
A’bbni grabbed a pillow and whacked him lightly in the face with it. “Can we not talk about this right now?”
Shi’chen laughed and pulled A’bbni down next to him on the bed so they were resting forehead to forehead. “How are your injuries, i-sha?” he asked, letting the familiar warmth of his brother wash over him.
