I shrugged. “Probably dead. They were attacked by Gullen and lost at sea. But we had rescued Altair from the island before we were separated. Icarus was on his way to collect me for Talon, but he never made it to Havira.” I didn’t tell him Icarus had found us all; I wasn’t sure if he would end up on our side if it came down to a fight against Gullen.
Brute made that grunting noise again. I went on as I worked. “I floated for a day, I think. Icarus flew out and retrieved me some distance from his ship. He said he smelled me.” I sniffed at my armpit. “I bet he could smell me from Wyngel right now. I’d ask for a bath, but Gullen would probably want to watch.”
I held the finished mixture up and motioned for Brute to help me lift Talon. “I have to wake him, and get this into him one sip at a time.” He moved to heft Talon’s unresponsive form, but at that very moment, a strangled cry came from outside the room. Brute went to check, but I knew what he’d find.
Gullen’s handsy guard was writhing on the floor, the poison affecting his nervous system. I sat quietly as Brute dragged him into the room, his face impassive. I forced myself to watch as the man died, the room filling with the stench of waste as he lost control of his organs.
I changed my mind about poisoning. It was every bit as hard to watch as death by a blade. My stomach lurched, and I swallowed hard to keep from being sick.
In less than fifteen minutes, he was dead. Brute stared at me, his jaw ticking. “You must be Prince Icarus’s sky bond.”
I startled. “How did you… Why do you think that?”
“My father told me stories of such, and I watched Icarus with you. His eyes never leave you, but there’s more. When you are near him, his skin almost glows, as if his wyvern nature is reaching for you.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say to that. I hadn’t noticed Icarus… glowing. I hoped we all lived long enough for me to tease him about it.
“I have long suspected that the truth of what happened all those years ago was not as my king feared. I believe Talon made a terrible mistake, a misjudgment, and in doing so lost his sky bond. It cannot happen again to his brother. The prince and you must have a plan. Tell me.”
Gratitude flooded through me, and I sent a prayer of thanks to the Goddess. Just like that, we had what we needed to succeed, even if my other Alphas never made it to Havira. I spoke quickly, and quietly.
“Heal him now,” Brute ordered, his voice filled with an Alpha bark. I didn’t feel any attraction to Brute, but the bark sent a shock of sensation to my core, and the room filled with the scent of citrus, honey, and salt.
Brute’s mouth thinned, and he raised Talon back up on the bed. “That’s going to make things harder.” I almost giggled; if I hadn’t been so nervous, I would have. “Hurry, Omega.”
“Will do,” I agreed, and lifted the cup… to find Talon already staring at me with his amber eye flashing.
How was he already awake? Had he been faking all along? Or had I underestimated his strength? I must have asked out loud because he answered.
“Not faking. I have a sky bond,” he rasped, “who is somewhere in the world feeling half dead, as I was. But not all dead. We shared the dose’s effects.”
I felt a pang for the woman I’d never met, but lifted the cup again. “Drink. It’s rum and the antidote. Gullen tried to kill you with the water.” His eye flashed to Brute, who nodded. “I need to tell you—”
“I heard it all, Omega. You’re not anything like I expected. You poisoned me, learned to speak Haviran in three fucking days, and got my brother to go along with the stupidest plan I’ve ever heard.” He coughed uncontrollably, and I handed him water.
Brute snatched it away and shot me a disappointed look.
“Oh, sorry. Yes, that’s the poisoned water. Do you thi—” A soft knock sounded, and Naari’s voice intruded.
“Roya? I have safe food.” When she entered, cowering under Brute’s baleful glare and Talon’s sharp one, she moved quickly, placing fresh fruit and cheese and a glass bottle of water on the table. She took a piece of each type of food and gulped it down, then did the same with the water.
“Thank you, Naari,” I said, grateful. I poured the water into short bamboo cups, and handed the food around, eating so quickly I almost choked. Naari’s eyes went to the dead guard in the corner of the room, and she rose to inspect him—then kicked the corpse as hard as she could in the stomach before she returned to my side.
Brute gave her a cool, approving stare. “What news?” He spoke perfectly accented Haviran.
“Icarus is safe with Gullen for now,” she said. “Halfway to drunk already. We gave them fortified rum, and not much food. Gullen loves his drink. But Icarus’s old sloop was spotted close to shore. We’ve kept that news quiet so far, but when Gullen’s soldiers discover it…”
“Thorn,” I breathed. My gut cramped suddenly at the thought of seeing him again.
Her brow furrowed. “Maybe.”
“Thorn?” Brute’s brows lowered.
I shrugged. “I saidprobablydead.”
Talon interrupted. “Is there a place we can hide? Gullen will kill us both when he finds his guard dead.”
Naari nodded. Talon fought to gain his feet, but Brute and I had to help him walk down the dark corridor. Naari led us to the servants’ paths, into the garden I had seen before, and through the gauzy curtains and bamboo screens that hid Altair’s former bower. My mind flashed with memories of Altair reclining in the bath, how soft his hair had been under my fingers, how warm and smooth his skin…
