Smug expression. As if the gods themselves had sought some sort of sick satisfaction in wringing as much misery on their people as possible by reincarnating their prior king’s visage in that of his son.
Or maybe they just hated Kalder so much that this was some sort of personal grudge-fuck against him.
It definitely felt that way.
But Varice wasn’t as merciless as he stepped between them. “Enough, Perrin! Mind your manners, boy!”
Perrin’s jaw went slack as he stared at the one who was obviously now the Myrcian king. “You can’t be serious! Surely you plan to execute him slowly for the death of our true brother?”
Kalder tsked. “What’s that foul taste in your mouth, Perrin? Besides your foot?” He paused to arch a taunting brow. “You should know, brother dearest, you’ve feasted on it enough in your life. It’s called disappointment.”
He stepped aside to gesture at Muerig, who was easily hidden behind Devyl’s massive form. Although he appeared more to be cowering, if the truth were told—though why Muerig would be doing such, Kalder couldn’t imagine. Unlike him, their brothers had always favored Muerig. Protected him, even. “I didn’t come back from the dead alone. I brought dearest family with me.”
Kalder savored that priceless look of shock on their faces. It was better than the expression they’d worn when they’d first seen him in the room.
Muerig finally rushed forward to embrace their brothers. “Varice! Perrin!”
Kalder didn’t miss the tense awkwardness in their brothers’ stances. But whether that came from not wanting to see Muerig or because they couldn’t legally executehimanymore for Muerig’s murder, he wasn’t sure. Either way, he knew the joy they exuded was feigned.
“Great to be reunited, eh?” Kalder couldn’t help throwing kerosene onto the fire and nettling their agitated states.
Varice’s eyes narrowed, but he quickly recovered to clap Muerig on the back and smile. “We shall feast this day, dearest Muerig! Let everyone revel at the miracle that’s returned you home to us.”
Perrin gestured at Kalder. “And arrest him!”
Devyl’s eyes flared to red. “What for?”
Perrin went rigid at the confrontation. He’d never been able to contend with anyone questioning him on any matter. “He’s broken a sacred law, and well he knows it. Outsiders are forbidden in to our city and yet here he’s brought all of you!”
Kalder didn’t flinch, as he’d expected nothing else from his brothers. It wasn’t as if they were about to suddenly find love for him after all these centuries. That only happened in bad books, kids’ fables, and fairy tales. “It’s fine, Captain. Under the laws of me people, they can’t harm you. They’re required to see you all released back to your world safely in exchange for your word that you’ll never return to their lands, or reveal how it is you came to be here.”
Cameron, with Bart of all creatures, stepped forward to defend him. “No one’s arresting Mr. Dupree.” She did that adorable stubborn stance where she planted herself right before his brother, legs braced wide and arms crossed as if she’d take on the whole Myrcian army alone.
Perrin blinked slowly as he glanced from Cameron to Kalder and back again. “I see your tastes have taken a peculiar bend, brother.”
Those words heated his fury to a dangerous level. “Careful, Perrin. You insult me ladyphearseand I will take that sword from Varice’s side and shove it into an orifice that will require a great deal of skill to extract it from.” And with that he stepped forward andplaced an arm around Cameron’s waist to pull her against him so that there would be no mistaking his affections for her.
This wasn’t the human world where such things were frowned upon. Here they were necessary.
However, her brother didn’t appreciate it.
Paden started forward in protest.
Devyl caught him and, with a warning glare, forced him to stand down before he was caught in the cross fire.
Kalder felt her nervousness, but she gave no outer sign of it, and for that he respected her immensely.
Debate hovered in both his brothers’ eyes, and in particular Perrin’s as he weighed the option of pressing this issue. While it wasn’t in his nature to back down, they both knew that Kalder could kick his arse. That he’d done it plenty of times when they were boys and Perrin had tried to overpower him. Hence why his brother had learned to resort to treachery where he was concerned.
Perrin had never held the same degree of fighting skill. Or perhaps that wasn’t the exact truth. When it came to skill they were about even. What Perrin lacked was Kalder’s fury. His willingness to suffer a blow and not give in to the pain of it.
That was where Kalder reigned supreme. He didn’t mind getting bloody or hurt. Rather, he reveled in physical pain and the distraction it gave from the unseen ache in his soul. A never-ending misery that Perrin, as a favored son, knew nothing about, and so he was unwilling to suffer the other.
Varice placed a comforting hand to Perrin’s shoulder and held him next to him. “Let us see about returning the humans to their world. And Muerig to ours.”
“You would forgive him for this trespass?”
“Let us focus on our brother’s return and the happiness it’ll bring our mother. ’Tis a day for celebrating. Not one of war.”
