Shi’chen frowned and scuffed a toe into the floor. Lai glanced over at him, then back at A’bbni. “Your brother and I will both stay with you.”
A’bbni smiled at that, his eyes already half-closing. He reached out his hand past Lai for Shi’chen, who took it and gave it a squeeze. “Rest, i-sha. We will both be here when you wake up.”
A’bbni nodded, seeming like he wanted to say something more, but his eyes closed, his body relaxing as the tension from the pain seemed to drain out of him. Shi’chen felt his own tension release too as he watched A’bbni relax. He pressed a soft kiss to the back of his brother’s hand and felt A’bbni’s fingers curl tighter against his. He watched until he was sure that A’bbni was asleep, then carefully extricated his hand from his twin’s as the physician moved over to examine A’bbni’s right leg with his fingers. “Please, Your Highness, do not hover,” Sa’ben said, giving him a pleading smile. “I know you are worried, but I do need room to work.”
Shi’chen sighed and brushed a few strands of auburn-black hair off A’bbni’s damp forehead before taking a reluctant step back. Lai suddenly caught his arm and gave him a gentle tug. “Can I talk to you?” he asked, motioning to the corner of the room. Shi’chen blinked but followed him over where they could still keep an eye on everything, knowing that the half-elf was trying to distract him but allowing himself to be led.
Once they were out of the way, Shi’chen turned to Lai. “How in the name of the gods are you alive?” he demanded in a whisper so no one else would hear them.
Lai pulled off the leather gloves he had been wearing since reappearing on the stairs with En’shea. Shi’chen couldn’t stop a gasp. Lai’s hands were covered in scrapes and cuts, several of which were deep enough that they were still bleeding. Several of his nails had broken, and his palms and fingertips were a shredded mess. “I told you, knowing how to catch yourself when you fall is a big part of rigging, and I got lucky that the guard just let go and didn’t fling me. Destroyed my knife and my hands in the process, but I’ll be fine.”
“That is not fucking fine!” Shi’chen replied, taking Lai’s hands in his own.
Lai winced but let him examine them. “Shi’chen, I’ll be all right. But I have to apologize to you.”
“Apologize for what?”
“I promised I would never break your brother’s heart, and I intend to keep that promise. But I’m sorry I was not there to protect him from that bastard soldier.”
“That was not your fault. He wanted you to go with me.”
“I know, but I should have made sure he was safe. That’s my job as his lover.”
Shi’chen felt a pang of something in his chest at that word, and he cleared his throat to give himself time to formulate a response. “You… you love him?”
Lai nodded, his face more solemn than Shi’chen had ever seen it. “I do.”
“Have you told him yet?” Lai shook his head, and Shi’chen imagined his ears would be drooping in shame if Lai’s ears could move. “Then you should tell him when he wakes up.”
Lai gave a slow nod, and then his leaf-green eyes focused on Shi’chen’s flame one. “I never asked you. How do you feel about it?”
“A… about what?” Shi’chen asked, aware his voice caught in his throat.
“About your brother and me. Is… is it all right with you?”
Shi’chen scuffed his toe into the floor, not meeting Lai’s eyes. “It is not my place to say what my brother can or cannot do.”
“That’s not what I asked,” Lai said with a frown.
“No, it’s not,” Shi’chen agreed. He lifted his eyes to Lai’s. “You’re a good friend to me, Lai. And he loves you. I can see it every time he looks at you. I would never want him to be unhappy.”
“Shi’chen,” Lai said, letting out a frustrated sigh. “You’re not answering my question. If it’s not all right, I’d like to know.”
“And if I said I wasn’t all right with it, what then?” Shi’chen said, his voice dropping but his eyes staying on Lai. “You would leave him?”
“No, I…” Lai frowned, crossing his arms loosely over his chest. “You are very frustrating.”
“I know,” Shi’chen said. He smiled softly and suddenly wrapped his arms around Lai, which made the half-elf jump. He rested his temple against Lai’s shoulder, feeling the beat of his heart under his cheek. “You are a good friend to me, and… I do love you, Lai.” Shi’chen shifted so he could look into the half-elf’s face. “But not the same way A’bbni does. I don’t… I don’twantyou the way that he does. I want to be your friend, and I want A’bbni to be happy. And you make him happy. And that is enough for me. So, yes, I am all right with it, even if I’m a little jealous once in a while.”
Lai looked a little uncertain, but he slowly wrapped his arms around Shi’chen and embraced him in return. “I made him promise I would not take him away from you.”
Shi’chen blinked up at him, then smiled softly. “You won’t. And he’s going to need both of us once he becomes Emperor.”
“You sure you don’t want it?” Lai asked.
Shi’chen shook his head firmly. “Gods, no. Absolutely fucking not!” He pulled back from Lai’s arms to give him a grin. “Besides, we both know he’ll be a much better Emperor than I would be anyway.”
Lai shrugged and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “I think you’d be pretty good. But yes, he will be better than you.”
