“Ouch.”
Instead, she jabbed her elbow in his side.
The boy looked between them; she could see the calculation going on behind that fearful gaze. She saw the minute he decided to trust them. “Fabian. Fabian Cross.
“Fabian, that’s a nice name!” she exclaimed.
“You sound like your sister,” Alek said, this time coming around to her side. “Do you like kids?”
She turned on him, her eyes narrowed. “I’ll have you know I can be nice.”
“Pfft, this is my first time seeing it,” he said sarcastically.
“Do you two promise you’ll help me?” Fabian asked, cutting in on their bickering.
Lanias glanced back at Alek before turning to face Fabian fully. “Yes, we will.”
The look of worry on the teen’s face melted away. “Stan said someone would come but—I didn’t believe him.” The teen lifted his hand and the staff on the floor, vibrating it turned a bright orange before it shot into his hand. “I just hope you’re strong enough.”
Seeing this bit of magic and feeling the familiar weight. Alek narrowed his questions on the boy. “Who exactly is after you?”
“A True One,” Fabian answered easily, eyeing Alek. “Don’t tell me you came here not knowing that?” He looked from Alek to Lanias. “They’ve come to this world to kill half-breeds like me.”
Lanias eyes narrowed as she was hit with the memory of the first two Surrem she’d met. “True Ones? Oh my, they are really back to kill half breeds.”
Fabian walked back to the door that been blown out. “Yeah, Eris warned Stanthos that it would happen one day.”
“Eris?”
Lanias flinched at the level of blood lust that exploded off Alek. Before she could stop him, he had Fabian jacked up by the collar of his shirt. His other hands raised, and nails long like five needles pointed at the boy’s throat. “How do you know him?” he demanded, his eyes bleeding red and violence vibrating in his voice.
The boy clutched at Alek’s wrist, as his staff fell to the floor. “Ow, st-stop.” Fabian kicked his legs as he attempted to break Alek’s hold.
“Alek, let him go,” Lanias shouted, grabbing his arm a look of alarm on her face. “Why are you—” He turned on her, his hand still holding the boy up.
“Back away,” he growled, the look in his eyes something she’d never seen before. He turned his attention back to Fabian “Tell me where he is, now.”
“Let him go.” Lanias pressed her blade to Aleks’ throat. “Don’t make me have to choose between you or him.”
Alek stared into the frightened gaze of the boy. He wanted to rip the boy to pieces, he’d said Eris’ name so casually. The one who’d destroyed his past existence, his everything, his kingdom, his people and his Queen.
Lanias’ blade pressed deeper. “Alek, let him go.”
Gritting his teeth, he shoved the boy away from him. “Fine, I’ll get my answers from you later.”
Lanias lowered her blade and took the boy’s arm, pulling him to her side. “Not without me there because apparently you can’t control yourself.”
He barely glanced her way more focused on regaining his control. “I’ll take heed of that.”
She looked him over before she turned to Fabian who was rubbing his throat with a look stark fear on his face. “Are you okay?”
He smacked her hand away. “Who would be okay after that,” he demanded, angrily before he pulled away from her. “I thought you two said you’d protect me. Instead, I get attacked just because of a name.”
“The name of the man who killed my wife,” Alek said softly.
Both Lanias and Fabian paused in place to allow this confession to sink in. Lanias looked at Alek in surprise. “Eris killed your wife?”
“Along with his damned brother,” Alek gritted out a dark look coming to his eyes. “Though it was long before either of your times.” He turned away giving them his back. “I apologize for losing my cool.”
