Ignoring them, Thorn returned to his conversation with Devyl. “When I freed Kalder, they were torturing his brother and making the Myrcian watch.”
“Sounds like Vine.”
“Aye, but freeing him out of the goodness of her heart doesn’t.”
By his hooded expression, Devyl had to bite back an excessivelycaustic retort over that. “Am thinking to borrow Mr. Death’s insult for you, Captain Obvious.”
With a mirthless smirk, Thorn crossed his arms over his chest. “You know Vine better than anyone, Duel. Tell me where her head was when she freed him.”
Up her arse. He knew that for a fact. She was about mischief most foul, and as usual, he was the target. Sad thing was, poor Kalder was caught in the snare this time, and for that, he was truly irritated. “There’s a debt I owe, from long ago. One I promised to keep sacred.”
“And?”
“And I failed. Vine knows the source of it, as she was there when the bargain was struck between us.” Devyl should have killed her then. Too bad he’d been married to her at the time, and had thought to keep his family intact. Stupid him for being sentimental.
“Care to fill me in on it?”
Not really. Devyl didn’t want to confide in Thorn. Long ago, they had been the bitterest of enemies. It was hard to get past that. Hard to trust someone he’d once spent years trying to slaughter.
But they were allies now.
More than that, he owed Thorn his life.
His current marriage.
And his sanity.
Had the bastard not saved him, he’d still be in hell and not married to the only woman he’d ever loved. So perhaps he could find a little faith in the beast even if Thorn was the son of all evil.
So Devyl decided to take a little leap. “Do you know who Kalder’s father is?”
“A Myrcian, of course.”
Oh, with that level of sarcasm the wee bastard made it hard not to gut him where he stood. Harder still not to slap him. Akantheus Leucious of the Brakadians sorely tried what little patience Devyl managed. And the smug gleam in those green eyes said that he took entirely too much pleasure in his taunting. No wonder he’d cast off his old name and started going by Thorn instead. It was definitely apropos, as the man was certainly a thorn in everyone’s arse.
Letting out a disgusted “heh,” Devyl shook his head. “King Daven.”
Unlike Leucious back in those dark, fun-filled days, Daven had been one of Devyl’s friends and allies. One of the sad, tiny handful he could trust.
Well, mayhap “friend” was a bit much, as neither of them were exactly friendly. But they’d drunk together and spent cordial time without fighting.
That was as close to friendship as either of them could manage.
Daven Dupree had possessed his own mental issues with those around him. Myrcians by nature were a warring lot. Treacherous and slanderous. And his own family had been quick to sell him out to their Roman adversaries. Even quicker to betray him to the fey bastards out to end them.
So the two of them, as warlords, had allied together to secure their borders, and protect their lands and people from family and enemies.
Better still, Daven had united his forces with Devyl’s to fight against Leucious’s sanctimonious army. And had treachery not endedhis old ally’s life, Daven might have succeeded in putting Leucious out of Devyl’s misery for good.
As it was, the mention of Daven’s name at least succeeded in taking the smugness from the prick. Indeed, Thorn actually choked. “You’re not kidding?”
He shook his head. “Surprised you didn’t recognize him. Kalder looks just like his father.”
Leucious cursed under his breath. “I’ve had so many enemies throughout the centuries… hard to keep track of them all.”
“True. Sooner or later, we all want to kill you.”
Thorn glared at him.
