“Be Rin,” he urged, settling his other hand at his narrow back. He traced circles there with his thumb. “Be my Rin.”
His frown deepened as he considered, and then his arm lowered a fraction.
It was enough distraction for Kelevra to take the gun from his hand. He dipped it and aimed lower, firing off a single shot into Crate’s right thigh before anyone could see it coming.
Crate screamed as blood instantly began to pool from the wound.
Rin’s eyes went wide, but Kel kept tracing those circles, knowing it was important he maintain their connection with all of this ensuing chaos around them.
“Guards!” Lyra called when Crate’s face turned beet red.
“Don’t touch me!” He pulled his arms free from the Imperial Guards' hold when two stepped forward to remove him from the room, neither of them bothering to be mindful of his injury even though they saw it and had heard the shot.
A bloody trail was left in his wake, the sounds of his screaming echoing down the hall as he was forcefully removed.
“Was that necessary?” Lyra asked, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Now I’ll have to explain to the Empress of Tibera why her star general has a hole in his leg.”
“Just tell her the truth,” Kelevra suggested, handing the weapon over to her as he spoke. “Say he tried to take one of our citizens against their will, and then he had the gall to draw a blaster on them.”
If he’d had his way, he would have offed him just now, but since Crate was still Rin’s father he’d reined it in. Still, that hadn’t meant he didn’t deserve to be punished. If it was up to Kel, he’d show Crate far worse.
“I’ll ensure he finds himself off the planet,” Lyra told them. “But the two of you,” she motioned between Kel and Rin, “owe me. Big time.”
“Of course, sister.” He grinned at her.
“Thank you, Heir Imperial.” Rin bowed his head, then forced his brother to do the same. If he was mad at Kelevra for shooting his father, he wasn’t showing it.
Which meant he wasn’t.
There was that, at least.
She exited the room, the door to the apartment closing behind her.
Kelevra held his hand out for his flower and waited.
“Don’t,” Sila said, even though Rin hadn’t made any moves to take the offering.
“I’m not going to hurt my own Consort,” Kelevra growled. His patience was gone. He just wanted to go home where he could feel secure in knowing Rin was locked up in their penthouse without anywhere else to run to. Then they could work through this together like a couple. He certainly wasn’t going to lower himself to having that personal and private discussion here, in a shitty college student’s apartment, with the Imposter hovering like a mother hen.
“If he’s injured, I won’t be firing a warning shot next time,” Sila told him darkly.
“Enough.” Rin put himself between them. “I have to go with him. He and I have a lot to discuss.”
Sila didn’t seem convinced.
“I’m forgiving that stunt in the forest,” Kelevra said. “Only because it’d be a hassle otherwise. The only reason I haven’t put you in the ground for shooting at me is because it would hurt my flower.”
“I said enough,” Rin growled. He grabbed his hand and dragged Kel toward the exit.
“Call me,” Sila stated, and got a hand wave in agreement. “Or answer when I call you. I mean it.”
As soon as they were out in the hall, Rin released him, and though he was tempted to capture his hand once more, Kelevra allowed him to pull away, keeping a close eye on him as he briskly walked ahead, leading the way out of the building toward the front where Kel’s car was parked on the side of the road.
“Get in, Consort,” Kel ordered when Rin hesitated, pushing at his narrow back to propel him forward. He had the door open and Rin slipped into the passenger seat in no time. Then he rounded the car, took a deep breath, and got in.
“Home,” he said as soon as he was pulling out onto the street. “We’ll talk once we’re home.”
For once, Rin didn’t argue.
