“Fine,” Pelun said tightly.
It didn’tsoundfine.
“Truly,” Tor said earnestly, in case the other man didn’t think he was serious. “I shouldn’t have been drinking like that, and I really appreciate that you came after me—I can’t tell you how much. Which makes my poor behavior even more inexcusable. I’m so sorry. I hope that you can forgive me.”
“I said it was fine.”
This was a whole sentence out of the other man, but each word was clipped.
“I assure you it won’t ever happen again. I won’t be drinking anymore,” Tor hastened to assure him.
Pelun scoffed, the sound angry and raw.
Tor felt like he was making the situation worse, but he genuinely didn’t know what else he could do or say. Did Pelun not trust him now? Did he think because Tor had messed up and started drinking once that he couldn’t be trusted not to do so again? Tor didn’t know how to prove that except with time.
“Is there something I can do to make this better?” he asked quietly.
Pelun turned towards him, his eyes blazing. “I already said it was fine!”
Tor took a step back, startled.
“You can stop talking about it!” Pelun added, voice still elevated and vibrating with tension. “That’s what you can do!”
And there wasn’t really anything Tor could say to that except, “All right.”
They passed the next turn of the garden in silence, and then Pelun said stiffly, “Was that everything?”
Pelun clearly didn’t want to be here, and the one thing he’d requested was for Tor to stop talking about it. So even though more apologies and explanations and excuses and pleas were crowding onto Tor’s tongue, he nodded.
“Yes, that’s everything. Thank you for speaking with me.”
Pelun gave a curt nod and stalked off.
Tor stared after him, watching those tight shoulders and that stiff gait, and he had to still the urge to run after him and try again. He’d thought that genuine contrition would be enough. Was he back to all his conceited assumptions that he was the most important person in the realm? He hadn’t intended to think like that. It was just… Pelun had been so understanding about Tor’s confession, and he’d thought he’d understand this, too, once Tor explained.
Pelunhadn’ttold Tor to leave, but was that just because he didn’t think it was his place?
All Tor’s earlier hope had faded, and he headed back inside wondering how insufferable his brother would be when Tor returned to Nexa with nothing at all having changed.
Chapter Fourteen
Pel
Pel had known in theory that he was spending a lot of time with Torex. Between visits, riding, training, dinner, and the after-dinner drinking and chatting that his father kept insisting upon, a large part of the day was taken up. Logically, that made sense.
It wasn’t until he found that hedidn’twant to spend so much time with the man, however, that he realized just how entwined their lives had become. It was really quite irritating to find that everything Pel did made him think of Prince Torex.
The kitchen staff were delighted that he always lit the crystals for them and gave them steady, bright light to work under. Lashuna appeared visibly happier since Torex had intervened in her love life. Melody always nickered a greeting to Pel, and of course he had to give him treats. Just because he was upset with Torex didn’t mean he was going to take it out on the man’s horse. Bavil and Larexa always talked to and about Torex, too.
And when Peldidn’ttake Torex with him when he went out on his inspections? Everyone wanted to know where the High Prince was and if everything was all right. Hadhe left without saying goodbye? Was he ill? Was he not interested in speaking to them anymore?
Pel might be hurt and angry, but he couldn’t truthfully say any of those things. And it sounded immensely childish to instead confess that no doubt the High Prince would have come if only Pel hadn’t left early so that he couldn’t join.
So his attempt to get a little bit of space from the man was singularly ineffective.
Pel somehow hadn’t realized how his routine had been completely taken over, and all he could think of now was that it would be like this every day when Torex went back to Alossa. It should have meant a return to normalcy… but Pel’s heart sank instead, a weird hollow pang thrumming through him.
Pel swallowed and explained for the second day in a row that the High Prince was busy but he would no doubt be visiting again soon. Pel couldn’t be responsible for removing the chance for his people to talk to Torex. And as upset as he was… Pel had to acknowledge that the man had apologized.
