“As if you care.” The last time Lyra had gotten something on Zane it’d been Aodhan, and she’d used that to her advantage. Now, she had someone to help dispose of the bodies and operate her organ trade, and Aodhan got a free pass to slice and dice people open.
No, his brother didn’t care about the fact Lyra held her knowledge of Aodhan’s secret pastime over Zane’s head.
“She can’t expose me, baby brother,” Aodhan said then, and it was like he was reading his mind. “Not now. She’s already let us in on her biggest secret. That organ trading ring isn’t mine,it’s hers, and if she ever told anyone about me…” he traced the tip of the scalpel across his neck with a grin. “So if that’s what she’s threatening you with, don’t sweat it. Tell her to go fuck herself.”
Zane gave him a suspicious look. “Since when did you give a shit about how she treats me?”
“You’re my brother,” he stated. “If someone treats you poorly, they’re treating me poorly. Family is important.”
“To you family is an important social construct and you need me to help sell yours is perfect and normal.”
Aodhan winked. “Something like that.”
Zane sighed, not sure what he’d been expecting. But… “She’s threatened to make me her Royal Consort.”
For a moment, his brother didn’t respond, and when he glanced back over it was to find that was because Aodhan was busy staring at him.
Or through him.
“Find what you’re looking for?” Zane snapped, a bit uncomfortable under all that scrutiny. Sure, he could hold his own in a fight and typically didn’t fear anyone, but Aodhan…He’d seen the guy take apart grown men three times their size—literally. He might instigate a bit of surly banter, but he never wanted to incite his brother’s actual ire.
Aodhan Solace was one person you were better off never gaining the attention of.
“You said threatened, as in, you don’t want to be her Royal Consort. I’m curious as to why. Just because she sucks? She’s pretty enough,” Aodhan shrugged. “Not my type, but whatever.”
“I don’t want to be made anyone’s lapdog.”
“Ah. And you think that’s what’s happening? Find a way out of it then.”
Zane rolled his eyes. “If it were that easy, I would have.”
“Isn’t it though?” Aodhan turned back to the body, dragging the scalpel down the fleshy part of the girl's thigh as though this conversation was already beginning to bore him.
Good. Let him set that creepy sight on someone else.
“It’s my understanding that a Royal Consort can only be selected if they’re not already married to someone else.” Aodhan inspected his handy work then set the scalpel to the side, reaching for a blaster.
“What are you going to do with that?” Zane asked, confused about how he was going to use that on the body. “Also, I’m not married to anyone else, if you recall. I’m not even betrothed.”
“Not an engagement,” he shook his head. “That would be too easy for her to break. She’s the Imperial Heir, after all. No, you need to be married by one of the three laws, and your marital status must be filed with the Intergalactic Conference for you to be safe.”
“That’s…overkill, don’t you think?” Filing with the Conference wasn’t something required of them.
“If you only do it through the Vitality government, you risk her undoing the order. She couldn’t touch it if it went through the Intergalactic Conference.”
“Okay, fair point, but again, I don’t have anyone.”
“So pick someone,” he said. “Any random off the street would do. Or find someone you like. Doesn’t matter. Just make it happen. I assume she gave you a timeframe?”
“Graduation.”
He nodded. “Do it before then.”
Zane frowned. “Why are you helping me?”
“I’m not,” he smiled. “I’m helping myself. You’re not the only one sick of having that bitch—sorry, her Imperial Majesty—yanking their chain. I’d prefer not to return to this planet so often as well. Mom never shuts up when she finds out I’ve visitedbut didn’t stop by the house, and she always finds out. I’d rather stay at home, with my sexy as sin hospital director boyfriend, but in order for that to happen, you have to get her off our backs once and for all.” Aodhan pointed the gun at him, but Zane wasn’t concerned.
His brother wouldn’t shoot him.
