Her palms were sweating. She looked up at Arawn, begging him to meet her gaze.
But he stared at his twin like it was just the two of them.
‘Not quite so healing forher,’ Arawn said. ‘What with the brutal injuries that Alaris must fix, time and again.’
‘The Raphonminder is strong,’ Kinlear replied. ‘She can handle it.’
‘May I remind you,’ Arawn added as he stepped a bit closer, and Kinlear’s grip on Ezer’s hand tightened even more, ‘that after she is done with you, she trainshere,in the darkness, with me.’
‘Learning how to protect herself better than the last you took beneath your wing, I hope,’ Kinlear said.
And she could have sworn Arawn’s fist curled.
‘She,’ Ezer said, removing her hand from Kinlear’s arm, ‘is standing right here. Between two brothers who refuse to forgive one another for a past that isneitherof their faults. That lies with Soraya alone.’
At the sound of her name, the tension broke. The two brothers looked to her like she’d spoken a curse aloud.
‘It’s the truth,’ Ezer said. ‘And telling it is what Sacred do.’
‘Forgive me,’ Arawn said, clearing his throat. ‘I … don’t know what came over me.’
But Kinlear only sighed, and reached out as a servant skirted past them, golden goblets balanced on his tray.
‘It’s the winterwine,’ Kinlear said, handing Ezer a goblet. The liquid inside was blue, and glowing as if by magic. ‘It takes the limits off. Makes the walls we usually have … come crumbling down.’ He looked to Ezer and noticed her gaze on Arawn. With a loud sigh, he said, ‘I’ve suddenly discovered I have somewhere else to be. Anywhere, really.’
But then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Ezer’s cheek.
His lips were soft, and she sucked in a breath, surprised at his touch.
‘Tomorrow, Raphonminder,’ he said as he backed away, ‘we’ll take Six back outside and make certain we do not fail.’
Ezer nodded. And together, they watched him go, fading into the crowd like a ghost.
To hell with it,Ezer thought. And took a sip from her goblet, lingering on the feeling of instant lightness in her bones that could only come from magic.
‘That was … interesting,’ Ezer said. ‘Were you two ever close?’
‘Too close,’ Arawn said with a shrug of his massive shoulders. ‘I suppose … war takes more casualties than lives alone.’ He watched Kinlear’s back, then sighed deeply as he turned back to her.
And she could have sworn …
He lookednervous.
‘I can’t believe I’m asking this, but …’ He glanced over a shoulder. ‘I’m supposed to be seen doing court fineries. Pretending that the things I worry about, like my father’s soon-to-be passing … do not exist. At least for tonight.’ Another sigh, in which he took a long pull from his goblet. His lips shone as he asked, ‘Would you dance with me, Minder?’
She thought her eyes might pop out of her skull.
But she took another few sips – half the goblet’s worth – and answered him breathlessly, ‘Yes.’
His hand engulfed hers as he led her to the middle of the training room. And as the music turned, and the sweeping melody overcame them …
His hand settled carefully over her hip.
She sucked in a breath, because though he’d trained with her, sparred with her … this was different.
This was a tender touch, the kind of thing shared between lovers.
Which they most certainly werenot.
