Bo shuddered hard and felt the cool brush of the riverbank in their bond, thin and soothing despite the tangle of Everil’s anger.
Guilt and hurt, old and new, thick as dust on old sheets left undisturbed. Concern, a fucking staple by that point, flaring when Bo shook against him. All that, and grief.
“Badass kelpie,” Bo mumbled against him, still raw and scared and confused. Everil huffed in quiet amusement, still stroking Bo’s hair. “What happens now?”
“That depends on Suire.” Everil looked back at her, his hand falling away. “Need I ask who put you up to this?”
She glared, haughty and defiant. “You did. Choosingthatover us.”
Guilt and silence from Everil. Even so, he didn’t look away from Suire’s accusing stare.
Bo returned her dagger looks with all the mulish anger available to him.
“Are you an actual child? Take some fucking accountability.” Bo tried to scoff. It turned to a painful mix of a dry cough and throat clearing. “Everil didn’t make you do shit. He got into an ‘embarrassment of a bond’ per fucking you, you felt something about it, and you made a fucking choice. You’re as rude as I am. Only difference is you pretty it up to be socially acceptable.”
Bo curled his lip in disgust, anger almost drowned out by Everil’s confusion.
“Hurt feelings?” Suire snapped. “You insolent, ignorant–”
“Enough, Suire.” Everil shut her up with a look. “Name who sent you or bear this yourself.”
Suire lifted her chin, all stubborn pride and an utter refusal to bend Bo knew too fucking well. He’d worn that look more than once in his life.
“As you wish.” Her voice dripped sarcasm, even as she smiled. “I acted in accordance with my oath, in service to my House. Your quarrel, if you have one, is with my liege-lord.”
Bo damn near staggered against the immediate weight of Everil’s guilt, the hit of her words nearly fucking tangible. He’d gone still again, his breathing shallow and quick. It took a moment for Bo to follow. Her liege-lord? Nimai? Or maybe, with Everil frozen and barely breathing as he was, Nimai through his old bond with Everil.
“You’re a bad friend,” Bo told Suire, managing another twist of disdain in his voice. Just that, and he turned to Everil, tried to meet gray eyes fixed on something he couldn’t see. “Everil?”
Everil didn’t look at him. It was as if he’d actually turned to stone, as lifeless as the willow branches scattering the ground.
“Everil,” Bo repeated, a fierce whisper. “Whatever mindfuck dose of nasty she just hit you with, we can talk about it. Later, okay? I need you here with me now. Alright?” Bo squeezed Everil’s hand, realizing only as he did that neither of them had let go. (Later. Think of it later, same as everything fucking else.) With his other hand, he touched Everil’s cheek. Gently, and Bo left a brush of red there, but he did it anyway. “We can fucking leave. Grab the kid and go. Or anything else you want to do. Just, here with me now. Okay?”
WhatBowanted to do was rip Suire’s fucking tongue out and hold Everil close and never have been stupid enough to step off the path to begin with. What he could do was this. Offer an out, a safe place to tuck against.
The answer didn’t come immediately. But little by little, Everil’s feelings turned to a sense ofbracing. Strange, how just a day and change in, Bo could look at Everil and see past that blank mask. Even without the bond, he could see it. The subtle shifts as his stubborn fucker of a kelpie made his choice.
Everil wrapped his free arm around Bo again, properly this time, his hand finding the back of Bo’s neck. It was a stiff gesture, like on the porch. But he was fucking trying. And Bo, sighing, leaned in all over again.
“My apologies,” Everil murmured. “I’m with you. Only, I must deal with this before we go.Iam Suire’s liege-lord. She’s sworn to my House. She is thelastof my House.”
“Oh, so you do remember? I’d begun to wonder.”
Bo ignored her, thumb pressing gently over the kelpie’s knuckles. “No apologies needed. You’re doing good. Here with me and all.” Bo waited for Everil’s nod, hesitant and tentative, before he continued. “Do whatever you need to do. I’ll stick around. I’m not going to limp off without you.”
“You know I’m right, Everil,” Suire said, and Bo could hear the smile in her sweet, coaxing voice. “It’s unfortunate. But thisisn’t your world. You have responsibilities. Oaths to keep, like we all do. I’m sorry if it’s not fun as nuzzling a human, but it’s yourduty.”
“Suire.” Everil’s breathing came unsteady and shallow, evening out only when Bo stroked his knuckles again.
“I know you’re angry. But Nimai only did what was best for everyone. The House needed you.Weneeded you. What were we meant to do? Wait a century for your Laurie to die? Wait another century for this one?”
“Lawrence.“ The word had the force of an ice jam breaking. Everil’s hand on Bo’s neck stayed light, but his arm pressed against Bo’s back, tucking him in tight.
Lawrence, and so many things made sense. Everil saying,‘You’re forgetting the part where Nimai will kill him’,Suire knowing what ‘the last one’ sounded like, the previous owner of the estate vanishing from the public after less than a year of money changing hands and a phantom stallion showing up. He’d wondered what might have made Everil lose his temper to the point of tearing his bond apart.
“I don’t know how you remember such things.Come on, Everil.” Suire sounded like an impatient little sister. Bo knew all about those. “I’m bored of this game.”
“Very well.” Everil sounded so fucking tired, for all that the power of finality rang through his words. “The honor of my House is no longer your concern. I release you from your oath, Veralies Aurilae.”
