Alus’s gaze took in the clearing, the corners of his eyes flinching when he saw Arek, but it was the only breach to his determined armor.Gluttony forced his eyes to move past his twin, settling on Saer.
A whimper came from behind him, a sound not foreign to Pride, and the eldest knew Sloth wept.
The twin was acting as a shield.
“Alus?”Saer inquired.
Lower jaw jutting forward, Alus’s voice rose careful and low, bereft of its usual friendly drawl.“I’ve brought our sister here.If you make a wrong move, I’m taking her away again.”
“Alustar—” Saer tried again.
“Listen, Asshole.”Alus bared his teeth in a snarl that Saer had seen countless times on Arek’s face but never on Alus’s.Pride stepped back and blinked, holding up his hands.Before he could say anything in response, Gluttony growled on, “You will apologize.You will make this right, or you can go fuck yourself.Are we clear?”
42
KaliawhimperedbehindAlus,stifling a sob of fear, and Saer’s mind fast-forwarded, realizing at last.
Of course Kalia told Alus about the last time she and Saer were together—the invoking of her true name.Saer hadn’t anticipated it, though he recognized his foolishness in that instant.Again, he tried to move forward, but Gluttony took a step away while guiding Kalia.Alus extended his free hand, palm forward.“That’s close enough.She’s terrified of you.”
Of all things, that statement struck Saer hard enough to steal his breath.
“What did you do, Saer?”The soft question came from Arek at his back.
Saer shoved a hand through his hair while snarling out a quiet curse.He surveyed the ground before ignoring Arek in favor of Alus.“It wasn’t my intent to frighten.”
“Was it to kill her, then?”Alus’s steely gaze threatened with an edge keen enough to cut diamonds.
Saer balked, caught in the lie.The tension in the clearing rose higher.
Alus’s lips peeled back.“Tell them what you did.”
Brow lowering, Saer rejected the discomfort and grappled for anger.“Who are you to make demands of me?”
“I’m yourbrother, Chief!”The use of the familiar nickname struck a blow to Saer’s umbrage, even if Alus’s teeth bared while yelling it across the clearing.
Alus’s chest heaved, and he swallowed, lowering his voice.“And Dollface here”—he shook the hand which Kalia clutched—“is your sister.”Some of the twin’s fury ebbed away, a quiet pleading taking over.“Tell them what happened.”Then, with more backbone than Saer would have expected from Alus, he added, “Or I will.”
Shoved into a corner, Pride stared at Alus.The one they all liked and respected.The one who balanced them—every one of them.
Wreck or relent.Those were the choices left.Destruction always came easier.Saer bowed his head and let out a short, wordless scream.
I could burn you all from the inside out.
The frightening thought sped his heart further.
“Damn it.”Saer fluctuated between balling his hands into fists and extending the fingers, eyes darting on the ground in front of Gluttony and Sloth.He shook his head then glanced at their other kin watching him with caution—even Runeak—as though they could read his thoughts.
He turned desperate eyes back to Alus and, while it grated against his insides like they’d suffered sunburns, he met the challenge.“She wouldn’t tell me where Errshek was.I compelled her.”
Alus’s head tipped forward, his gaze shooting daggers.“Finish it, Saer”
Arek’s breath hitched at Saer’s side.“Alus, don’t.”
A dark sound rumbled in Pride’s throat, resenting Gluttony’s words from beginning to end.His very nature fought the command.If it were anyone but Alus, he might have attacked them,murderedthem, rather than answer.Runeak shifted, and he distantly acknowledged the space must be thrumming with her aspect.
‘I need to talk to Saer.Not Pride right now.’
The memory resurfaced in his mind, Neyu’s exhausted voice speaking it.
