“But I ran out of faith,” Adrian croaked, his deep voice quivering. “I even tried to stop Elara. More than once, and I feel so… so heartless, I—”
Elara moved, releasing her hold on Evander’s hand so she could embrace Adrian. Her second-oldest brother, who normally was not receptive to such affection unless it was from his wife, wrapped his arms around her with equal strength, and she felt his body tremble with sobs.
“Forgive me,” he cried, as their mother joined them, wrapping her arms around them both. “Forgive me, please.”
“There is nothing to forgive, my son,” Nora soothed.
“Listen to our mother, Adrian,” Evander commanded from his bed.
Elara’s heart twisted painfully as she saw her once stoic brother now wipe tears from his eyes. It was something she thought was more impossible than finding Evander alive. However, Adrian had changed much since he had fallen in love with Bridget. A change that, in Elara’s opinion, was nothing short of wonderful.
“Go to your wife and son, brother,” Elara suggested, another pain rippling through her heart as she thought of Constantine and William. She missed them. Terribly. And had not seen either since the night they had rescued Evander.
“I will,” Adrian said, getting a little more of his composure back. “After I seek out the chief constable. I want to know what is going to happen with Augustus. I want to be sure that I see himhang from the gallows.”
Fear sparked through Elara’s veins.
“Are you suggesting that he may not?” she asked.
Compassion flickered through Adrian’s eyes.
“There is a judicial process,” he replied, his tone filled with discontent. “It all depends on how the trial unfolds.”
Panic followed Elara’s fear, and she shook her head.
“No! Look what he did to Evander! What he was going to do to me! You know he was not going to allow him to leave that ship alive if those constables had not come!”
“I know, I know,” Adrian replied soothingly, once more putting on the mantle of big brother. “Which is why we will do everything to support the death sentence. I shall speak to the constables and see what evidence they gathered. Perhaps Constantine found something that may seal Augustus’s fate. I do not know, but I will make sure I find out.”
Elara’s heart quivered as she heard Constantine’s name; longing filled her. Silently, she drew her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded.
“I will not be long,” Adrian promised them all, then left.
“Mother,” Evander rasped, drawing Elara and Nora’s attention back to them.
“Yes, my heart?” Nora answered eagerly.
“I believe that tea you made me is wearing off,” Evander said to her.
Nora, ever the mother hen, smiled with delight as she jumped from her seat.
“Of course, my sweet, I shall brew you a fresh one myself,” Nora answered, then kissed his hand. “I shall be back in mere moments.”
Evander gave a small nod at their mother, then she left.
“Bunny,” Evander rasped, and despite her low spirits, Elara returned to his side with a smile.
“Bunny?” she mused, taking his hand. “I have not heard you call me that since I was five.”
Evander attempted a smile, then winced as his healing lips no doubt forced him to stop.
“Well,” he said with a sigh. “I have not seen you pout this much since you were five.” Elara bowed her head, not answering. “Something is bothering you,” Evander went on. “I saw you flinch upon hearing Constantine’s name.”
Elara felt her throat tighten as she looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes; her heart was a broken mess.
“It does not matter,” she rasped, forcing herself to swallow past the growing lump in her throat. “What matters is that you are alive. That you are back with us.”
Evander’s blue eyes, so still, very full of pain and nightmares, looked right into her as he gave a small shake of his head.
