“Is he...” Arawn swallowed. “Is he going to...”
“He will not die today,” Alaris said, finishing the question in his head.
She was braver than him.
Because though Kinlear had changed, though he’d been an utter mess since he’d returned to the Citadel...
He was still Arawn’s twin. Still a part of him, even though he’dtaken Soraya.
She was silent, just barely whispering an invocation, as Arawn considered how to ask Alaris his next question.
“Spit it out,” she said.
He sighed.
“You can’t take it away from him.” He stepped closer, until he sat right at the edge of Kinlear’s bed. The same place he used to sit when they were children, and Kinlear woke up screaming. When Arawn held his hands and waited until his brother felt safe again. Sometimes...he longed to go back to those days. Before his Settling. Before he’d met Soraya. When they were just kids...and it was the two of them against the world, dreaming of something more.
His next words were soft. His voice was almost pained.
“It will kill him, Alaris. It will suck the life from his veins...what little there is left, if you take Eagleminding away from him.”
More silence.
“It’s done. The king has convened with the others. A vote has been taken...”
“Without me,” Arawn growled.
She held up a hand. “You are not king yet, Crown Prince.”
And in that phrase...she reminded him of his place.
“There’s nothing more I can do.” Her eyes were tired. Her shoulders were heavy. Even her hair had begun to fall from the knot atop her head. “My job is to heal his body. My gifting...to be used to help raise him back up. And as much as I care for the boy, for I met him the very same secondyoudid...it is not my job to look after his heart.For even I must admit, he’s a danger to himself if we can’t tell when the illness will strike again. Eagleminding is no longer for him.”
It was an effort to hold his tongue.
To respect her as he knew he should.
“If he spooks one of the Eagles again, it could be detrimental. She cleared her throat again, her voice so tired. She’d have to rest after this, even though she was a trulypowerfulSacred. “Two of the younglings nearly died when the fledgling broke out of the pen.”
“But they didn’t die,” Arawn growled. “And if they had? This is war. We lose soldiers every day.”
“NotSacred younglings, training to be Riders, who seem to be born far less these days,” Alaris said. “I won’t tell your father you said such a heartless thing.”
“I meant it,” Arawn said. “He needs this.” His voice turned a little desperate. “Weneedhim.”
Alaris paused her work. “The vote is done. He’s finished.”
Arawn stood from the bed. He needed tomove.He looked to the hearth, and swore the flames rose higher, turned a bit brighter, inside of it. “He deserves more than this, Alaris.”
“Hmm,” was all she said, as she grabbed Kinlear’s lifeless hand. And held it gently in hers, the way their motherneverdid.
“He deserves tolive,” Arawn said. “Until he dies.”
“That day is not today,” Alaris said. She offered him a sad smile. “Now you’ve wallowed, you’ve said your piece, and I have patiently listened. Go back to your training. You’re a First Rider now, Arawn. Act like one. And for the love of the gods, my boy...” A deep, forceful sigh. “Do try to keep his Matched away from this room. I don’t have the energy today to deal with her wrath.”
Arawn shrugged. “It’s a little too late for that,” he said now, as he backed away. “She followed me up here.”
He could have sworn Alaris let out a growl beneath her breath.
