He was covered in penance marks. Absolutelycovered.
And perhaps that is why Soraya wishes to save him,Arawn told himself. He couldn’t imagine what she would do if shediscovered the truth of Kinlear’s condition...that it wasn’t just an annoying cough, or a strange weakness in his leg.
No, it was that he woulddiesomeday because of it...he’d been dying already, for too long, and would have been gone without Alaris’ magic...and he’d probably die sooner rather than later if he kept up the pace of this drinking.
What had Touvredoneto him?
“There’s another Talon Trial soon,” Arawn said suddenly.
Because he’d been thinking of it, staying up late, trying to find a place for Kinlear to carve his name. To become more thanthis.
Kinlear was too smart, too clever, and he was, for better or worse, Arawn’s twin.
Once, his very best friend.
He wouldn’t stand by and watch him waste himself away like this.
“The Talon Trials?” Kinlear said, lifting a brow.
“Yes,” Arawn ground out.
It was the time when younglings entered the Eagle’s Nest and tried their best not to get shredded to pieces by the war eagle fledglings. Once, Kinlear had dreamt of being a Rider with Arawn, long ago. He’d always had a way with the godmounts—and with convincing anything living to do his bidding—but his father quickly squashed that dream.
Minding the war eagles could be the next best thing.
It took someone bold.
It took someone hard of heart, someone manipulative, a person clever enough andstubbornenough to look at a war eagle, a beast ten times their size, and say, “You’re going to do what I say, and if you don’t, you will pay.”
Kinlear wasperfectfor it.
“Irrelevant information, but thanks,” Kinlear said, as he leaned over, nearly tumbling from his chair as he went for the bottle.
“It’s the exact opposite,” Arawn said. “Because you’re going to enter it.”
Kinlear glanced up. His smile was off kilter. “My gods, Crown Prince. You learned how to make a joke while I was gone, and it onlytook a few years.” He laughed as he flopped back onto the chair and tilted back the bottle to take another sip.
But Arawn swiped it from his hand before he could...andthrewit into the fire.
The hearth practically exploded as the flames touched the liquor.
Kinlear yelped, tumbling from his chair, but with an invocation from Arawn’s lips, the flames died down. There was nothing but embers in their place. He’d melted the glass along with it.
“That was my last from father’s stash,” Kinlear winced. “You’ve no clue how hard it was to break into his chambers while he was at war....”
Arawn closed his eyes, not even wanting to imagine how Kinlear had done it.
Not to mention, who he had a sinking suspicion Kinlear had done itwith.
“You’re going to enter the Talon Trials,” Arawn said, holding his brother’s gaze. “And I amnotgoing to tell father about it. You’re going tolive, Kinlear, and become an Eagleminder. It’s as close to Rider as you’ll ever get.” He took a breath, settling the heat in his lungs. “And if you don’t...I swear to you, I will pick you up and carry you, kicking and screaming, down to the dungeons. I will lock you in there with the rest of the useless bastards that dare to disgrace the Citadel’s halls, because I will no longer allowyou,my other half, to waste away in this room...wallowing in self pity...and drinking yourself to a death you do not deserve.” He felt his blue eyes narrow, his words as heated as the fire that crackled inside his veins. “You may be dying, but you’re not deadyet, Little Brother.”
It wasn’t even a slight. Arawn had meant it.
They were seconds apart, and yet...Kinlear was acting like achild.
“In the meantime, get off your ass and go to the library. You used to love it. Find books on Eagleminding, and learn what you must quickly. Do something of worth, Kinlear. Be remembered...” he took a deep, settling breath. “...for something more than a messy room and an empty bottle of winterwine.”
It was silent for a moment.
