Elias’s face flushed. He half shrugged. “Kind of.”
Kind of? Very definitely yes!
“Really?” Gaping, Konrad leaned forward.
Senta gasped, eyes wide. “Elias,youalmost killed Gerard? You?” Gerard couldn’t tell if his sister was outraged or impressed.
Gerard cleared his throat and put down his empty goblet. “We should … talk.” Elias placed his untouched wine down and followed him out. His siblings started whispering as soon as they left.
Gerard led Elias to a bedroom, which he’d been allotted. Servants had packed and moved his and Elias’s trunks there.
The fire had been lit by one of their trusted servants. Only a few servants, ones who’d been with them for years and years, had been granted admittance into their quarters. They had to be very careful at present.
Gerard turned to face Elias. Elias stared at him, eyes guarded.
For several moments neither spoke, as if not knowing how to proceed. Gerard really wished they did not have to do this right now. He did not have the energy.
“I want to say I am sorry. For saying that stuff about you being …” Elias circled his arm in the air as if not wanting to say the actual words.
But Gerard would not let him off so easily. The barbs felt seared into his soul. “Vile? Repulsive? The dragon wretch?” he said, voice sharp.
Elias stepped towards him. “I didn’t mean it! I never meant it!” He reached for Gerard.
But Gerard stepped back and out of Elias’s reach. He shook his head. “How can I believe that?”
Elias deflated. “I only saidit to my stepmother because she told me Beau would marry you. I couldn’t stand the thought. And I knew if I made it sound like marrying you would be horrid, she’d arrange for me to marry you instead. I just said those things to manipulate her. Because I knew she’d marry us if she thought I’d hate it.”
“You … wanted to marry me?” Gerard shook his head. “That can’t be true.”
Elias’s violet eyes softened. “I did want to marry you. And I am glad I married you. We are connected, after all.” His gaze landed on Gerard’s scarred cheek. “I did that to you. And you did this to me.” He tugged the loose hem of his trousers up, revealing his leg.
“I did that?”
“When you hit the cliff face, the rocks crumbled. I jumped back into a cave to dodge them. But I didn’t quite make it in time. They crushed my leg and pinned me. I almost died. But an earth elemental and healer were travelling with me and saved me.”
Gerard didn’t speak for several moments. “I thought the lightning sorcerer— I thought you had died.”
“I thought you had too.” Then Elias gave him a half-smile. “So you see, we are bound together, you and I, through war and pain and a narrow miss with death.”
“I suppose that is one way to look at it. You really wanted to marry me?”
Elias nodded. “I never saw you as repulsive, Gerard. Not for a single second. But I can understand why you don’t trust me or my words.”
Then Elias cleared his throat and stood to his full height, which was still a head shorter than Gerard. “So let me introduce myself properly. My name is Elias Storm. I am an elite lightning sorcerer. I fought in the war against the dragons, and we met once on thebattlefield.”
Elias swallowed. “My mother died when I was a boy, and I recently learned she was murdered by the woman who would become my stepmother. She manipulated my father for the benefit of Zephyrias, and I learnt to never rely on my father. Because of this, I trusted no one for years, because I thought everyone betrays you or at least lets you down.
“When I became a lightning archmage, I took a vow saying I would not tell anyone my identity. I may be a liar, but I have always been loyal and true to that.” Then Elias paused.
“But honestly, I’m glad you found out that I am an archmage. Now you know the truth, and I never broke my vow.” Elias took a step towards him. He hesitated. Once again, he reached for Gerard.
This time Gerard didn’t pull away.
“Since I’ve gotten to know you, I’ve found myself wanting to open up and be honest with you. To show you my true self. I told you that, and it was true.” Elias licked his lips. “I found myself wanting to trust you, even though I’d never trusted anyone since my mother’s death. I know you have no reason to believe my words, but over the past few weeks, I found my feelings for you deepening.”
He squeezed Gerard’s hand. “I care for you, Gerard. So much. I desire you. I want to be married to you. And even if you can’t believe those words today, I hope you give me the chance to prove them. I hope you believe them one day.”
Gerard took a breath. He dropped his gaze and stared at Elias’s dirtied and bloodied hand gripping his.
