“It was a long time ago.”
“Time doesn’t harm love. Love conquers all.”
Urian scoffed. “Love doesn’t conquer all. Only a quick sword does that.”
Brogan wrinkled her nose at him. “You can’t lie to a kerling, my sweet. We see straight through you.” She glanced over to her brother. “And Brandor isn’t lying. I would tell you if he were. Especially about this. No one should hurt for love.”
Urian inclined his head respectfully to her. She had a beautiful heart, and those things were rare enough that he knew to cherish the few people who managed to have them. “Thank you.”
Even so, Urian was afraid to let himself hope. To dream. He’d lived so long now without either that he didn’t know how to anymore.
He’d learned to function in a state of comfortably numb where nothing touched him anymore. As he often joked with Davyn, “Behold my fallow fields of the fucks I do not give.”
Yeah, that was his current real estate, and he liked that address where pain didn’t reside within him. Where agony didn’t claim a permanent part of his soul.
And yet, even now if he closed his eyes, his skin tingled from the sweetest memories of Xyn’s touch. His heart lightened at the prospect of hearing her laughter.
Seeing her vibrant green eyes light up when she saw him.
No one had ever made him feel like she did.
Strange how all the women of his life had played vastly different roles. Xanthia had used and kicked him. Sheba had treated him like a pet to be pampered and played with. Phoebe had loved and needed him and been dependent on him for her very survival. She had made him feel like some mythic hero.
And Xyn? She had stood at his side as an equal warrior. She had been his best friend.
He’d loved them all, but only Xanthia had ever taught him animosity because of her treachery and betrayal.
Brogan took his hand. “Are you all right?”
Urian swallowed hard against the raw fear and hope that choked him. Honestly? He hadn’t been all right in a long time. And this new surge of bullshit after having buried his emotions for so long was really the last thing he needed. Especially right now. But he wasn’t one to confide his feelings to anyone. Never mind someone he just met. “Sure.”
The light in her eyes said that she knew better. Still, she smiled kindly. “If you say so.” Squeezing his hand, she returned to Blaise to help him walk.
And Urian moved to stand near Brandor and keep him from harming Blaise for being so close to his sister. “I know, brother. Just remember, when we find Medea and Falcyn, you have to return the favor before I rip the dick off that bastard.”
Brandor choked. “Pardon?”
“You heard me. Every time Falcyn looks at her, it takes everything I have not to do something completely suicidal.”
Fetch me Maddor.I don’t care what whore you have to pry him off, bring him to me within the quarter hour or it’s your balls I’ll be dining on!” The fey bitch shoved him away, then headed away.
The captain of the guards turned on his companions with a hiss. “You heard her! Fetch the mandrake!”
“Fuck you.” Varian du Fey slid his knife straight into the lung of the bastard in front of him and held him upright until he stopped struggling. Only then did he use his powers to remove all traces of the fey’s existence.
“Damn, V. That’s so cold.”
Wiping the blood off on the sleeve of his jerkin, he sneered at his hellhound companion. “Oh, like you wouldn’t have bitten his throat out, then licked your own balls.”
“Probably the former, but never the latter. Too many others willing to do that for me.” Kaziel grinned at him. “At any rate, killing an Adoni on an errand for your mother seems a bit reckless when we’re supposed to be keeping a low profile. And to think Aeron and Nick accusemeof being rash.”
“Youarerash, my friend. So rash, it’s actually creeping down your neck.”
“Those are the hives I get from being this close to you when you’re doing something profoundly stupid.” Kaziel glanced down the hallway to make sure no one else was around. “Damn shame to be this near to your mother and she didn’t recognize you.”
“You’ve no idea. But I wouldn’t put anything past her. The main thing for now is that we find Blaise and let him know what’s going on. You go find them.”
Kaziel hesitated. “What about you?”
