“Meaning you can use one to make him back the fuck off,” Bo said, watching Nimai. The brownie fuckingstewed, keeping his mouth shut. So, Bo raised his voice, just to make sure Nimai knew he was speaking to him. “Tell us where Talia is, or I’ll ask Ever to make you do some truly heinous shit, Nims. I’m not fucking bluffing. You know as well as I do there’s a lot of fucked up things you can do that don’t constitute ‘harm’ by your standards.”
Fondness and concern, all there in the bond, front and center. Bo basked in it.
Nimai glared, furious and silent. Bo let the quiet stretch, then looked to Ever, opening his mouth to speak–
“She is safe,” Nimai ground out, his voice still everything bright in the world. “With Lysander. Kesk’s Gate. They’re age mates.”
Another one of Ever’s people at Kesk’s mercy. Bo’s eyes snapped back to Nimai, and Ever, the badass, growled. Near silent.
“Let us end this, so we might collect her,” Ever murmured, looking away from the brownie. “I can bind him against harm, Bo. And require him to leave. Will that suit?”
“You remember what we talked about before coming here, kelpie? What I see as damage instead of you or him. You got an issue with that?”
“I don’t object. Only, I’m not in the habit of setting geasa,” Ever offered, caution in the words. “But my understanding is that with greater scope comes less specificity. Faerie is capricious at times.”
“So maybe silence, leaving us the fuck alone, or frogs pop out of his face when he tries to do shit?”
A smile curled in Ever’s reply. “Yes.”
Bo shrugged, feigned nonchalance as his spine fucking crawled at Nimai’s continued silence. It was almost worse than him spouting his bullshit, like playing a video game without seeing a big bad, knowing they lurked in the shadows.
“I’m good with that if you are.” Bo leaned against Ever’s arm, looking back to him again, swallowing hard. Ever being there, being willing, being fucking everything, and not freezing up. That, he found strength in. “Count me full-fucking in.”
“For a human,” Nimai spat. “Ahuman.”
“A moment.” Ever touched Bo’s cheek, then turned from him to Nimai, striding across the room to his once bond.
Nimai said something, low, his eyes gold and sorrowful and manipulative as fuck. Bo heard Ever’s soft, “... no us. And I must protect what’s mine.”
Then, louder: “Caroves.”
“Rheionus Arrikaz Taighik, this geas is yours.” Ever spoke loudly enough for the words to travel, like he was announcing them. Letting Bo witness. “You may not harm, nor cause others to harm in mind, body, or soul, Oberon Cedardusk Gardener or any he claims in his heart. I regret that it came to this, Nimai.”
A snarl from Nimai, all teeth. A mouth that opened on words unspoken. Ever didn’t flinch, only watched, a whisper of sorrow threading through their bond.
Bo loved him stupid amounts.
Nimai took a step forward, free now, sending chills up Bo’s spine. Then he turned away, reaching for a door newly opened in the wall. The brownie fled, like a fucking coward, and closed the door behind him with a deceptively soft click.
Ever did flinch, then, just a little. Bo reached out, red fingertips brushing over his hand. Around them, bees droned. Fat and drowsy once again.
“You okay?” Bo asked, quiet.
“I…” Ever drew in a slow, shaking breath and turned toward Bo. “May I?”
“Yeah, Ever. Yes. Fuck.” He moved closer, held out his arms. Ever moved into his embrace, and Bo held him, stroking his back and blood-sticky hair, careful of the holly and hidden cuts. “Did good, pretty kelpie.”
“It’s a brutal act to strip someone of their will.” Soft words, no guilt behind them. Only regret. Ever buried his face in Bo’s hair, and the oak leaves rustled soft reassurances. “I would do so again. Without hesitation.”
“I know you would.” Bo squeezed him harder.
They stood like that for a long time, bloodied and clutched close in a house that looked half forest, half desert, burnt and sodden both, and breathed.
“Come, sweet,” Ever said, at last, breaking the quiet. “Let’s get ourselves in order. And then I intend to collect Talia if I have to tear Faerie to its foundations to do so.”
Chapter twenty-nine
Everil
