His twin brother was just past her shoulder, so tall compared to Soraya, that she was cast in his shadow, while he was outlined in the warm torchlight.
Kinlear leaned around the back of his chair, hair falling into his eyes as he glared at them. “Come to ogle at my newest penance mark, both of you?”
He didn’t tell them how many he had across his back.
He didn’t tell them that he was covered in a salve he’d kept hidden beneath his mattress, because his mother had denied him anything to help with the pain.
She claimed it taught him a better lesson that way.
“I want to seefirst,” Soraya said, and crossed her small arms, ignoring Arawn when he tried to push past her to get inside. She grinned at Kinlear, her dark curls sticking all over the place. She had a bruise on one eye and a cut on her chin, and she wore each proudly. “Ooh. Gods’ graces,” she told Kinlear, as she looked at the brand on his wrist. “It’s good. But my last one was bigger. At leasttwicethe size.”
Kinlear let her believe it. “You’re probably right, Sora.”
“I know,” Soraya said, lifting her chin as she grinned again. “I’m always right.”
“Bragging about penance isn’t something a good Sacred should do,” Arawn whispered to her, his eyes wide as he glanced over his shoulder into the empty hall, senses fully on guard as usual. As if shadow wolves would come pouring right into the room to attack her.
He was always such a protector, even if there was no true threat in this place.
Still, his brother stepped closer to her, as if he’d fight the world to keep her safe.
They’d probably be Matched someday. Kinlear fought the inkling of jealousy that surged inside of him.
A Matching was probablynothis fate. The gods would never pair someone likehimwith someone likeher.
“You should go before our mother comes back to check on him,” Arawn said. “We’ll all pay penance if she catches us here.”
Soraya crossed her arms. “Do you evenpaypenance? Our perfect Crown Prince.”
Kinlear met Arawn’s gaze knowingly, as the memory of a lie and a darksoul sketch hung between them. They had never spoken of that moment since.
“Of course I do,” Arawn said. “Everyone does, until they learn their place.”
“Kinlear knows penance better than anyone,” Soraya said, glancing back at him with a beautiful grin. “Did you cry, Little Prince?”
“Call me that again,” Kinlear said, “and you’ll be the one with tears in your eyes.”
“Kinlear,” Arawn growled. “We don’t speak to?—"
But Soraya only laughed, the sound like ringing bells. “Next time we’ll go together. Hold hands while they do it, yes?”
Kinlear blinked.
Arawn blinked.
“Hmmm.” Soraya sighed. “Well. This isn’t as fun as I’d hoped. I’m off to find other joys, boys. I heard Zey might Settle soon. Gods know I want to be there to watchthat.”
She whispered an invocation, and the wind slammed the door behind her as she left.
“She...frightens me,” Arawn said.
Kinlear laughed. “Nothing frightens you.”
Arawn shrugged and took his usual chair across from Kinlear’s.
“Well?” Kinlear asked. “What will my punishment be this time?”
Arawn, to his credit, was often his eyes and ears when Kinlear was locked away. Kinlear had an inkling that Izill, often assigned as their family servant, helped him spy. But she’d neverdareadmit to it.
