“My replacement?” Razik demanded.
“How can I not assign a new personal guard to her when they are both wounded and unconscious due to situations that you just claimed full responsibility for?”
“Tybalt, I?—”
“That is all. You’re dismissed,” the Commander said, turning back to the bed. “I’ll take over guarding the future queen. Jarek and Fallon can keep watch over the king. You can return to Aimonway.”
“This is bullshit,” Razik growled. “I was charged with guarding her.”
“And it’s obviously a job you cannot fulfill due to your relationship with Cethin. They go hand in hand,” Tybalt said. “Again, you’re dismissed.”
“He won’t let me anywhere near her,” Razik said, gesturing to Cethin’s sleeping form. “Hewon’t let me do my fucking job, Tybalt!”
“Precisely,” Tybalt snapped, his eyes glowing once more as he rounded on Razik, that control slipping a fraction. “Neither one of you can put her safety above your feuds and grudges. The two of you are centuries old and still act like godsdamn younglings. I’m trying to help you find your place here, Razik. I know youdon’t want the life you were destined for, but everything I offer to you, you let your past and bitterness taint. I don’t?—”
He shook his head again, turning away from him. “For this? What this has become? I take full responsibility for that. Something I will have to answer for when the time comes.”
“No,” Razik said, unable to find any other words because none of this was his uncle’s fault. There was definitely someone to blame, but it wasn’t him.
His features were grim when he looked back at Razik. “If words could change things, the realms would look a whole lot different. You’re dismissed, Razik.”
“I’m not leaving,” Razik said resolutely. “I can do this. Iwantto do this.”
“If you wanted to, you would.”
“I…” He pushed out a frustrated breath. “I’ll prove myself, Tybalt. I won’t disappoint you again. You entrusted me with this. I won’t fail you again.”
The silence was heavy, seconds ticking by, and Razik waited for his uncle to look at him. To say something. To do anything.
Finally, he shook his head, rubbing at his brow. “If she were here…”
“But she’s not. Unless you know something I don’t?” Razik replied.
His uncle looked up to meet his stare, something akin to resignation and defeat playing out on his face. “This is the last time I can extend you grace in this.”
“It won’t be needed again.”
Making his way to the door, Tybalt stopped beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. “I need that to be true.”
Then he left the room, leaving Razik alone. He glared at the sleeping king. The source of so much fucking agony and conflict. All because ofher.
Lifting a hand, he sent a message among a swirl of black flames to Wren, checking on Kailia and asking her to let him know the moment anything changed. Then he settled into an armchair across the room. He needed to get used to being in Cethin’s presence. Having him unconscious was a good way to ease into it, he supposed.
It was a start, and for now, that needed to be enough.
Five more fucking hours.
That was how long it took for Cethin to stir. He’d checked in on Kailia every half hour, Jarek staying with Cethin when he left. On her next round of checking wounds, Niara had said she suspected Cethin would wake first, mainly because his wounds were only physical. Whatever Kailia had faced had been more than the physical attacks, and Razik had ruminated on that for hours while sitting in the same chair. She didn’t like to be touched, but what had caused such an aversion?
A groan of discomfort sounded as Cethin stirred, and he lifted an arm, swiping his hand down his face. Then he suddenly shot up, cursing at what Razik was sure was pain lancing up his side.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Razik ground out, crossing the room and easily shoving the male back down.
Confusion flitted across Cethin’s face before it morphed into the hatred they reserved for each other. “Fuck off, Greybane,” he growled, trying to sit up again. “Where’s Kailia?” His eyes darted around wildly before going wide. “Why am I up here?”
Razik eyed him warily. “Because it’s the king’s quarters, and you are the king.”
“No,” Cethin said, once again pushing to sit up, and Razik let him this time because he might be trying to be civil, but he wasn’t the male’s godsdamn keeper.
