He would never get used to her beautiful spirit and kind heart. Her generosity.
Xev approached him hesitantly. Caleb didn’t blame him. They had never been close. Not even friendly, really.
But now Caleb knew something about his brother he hadn’t known before.
“You’re the double agent who’s been giving our intel to the Kalosum.” Azura, Noir and Braith would reward Caleb beyond his wildest dreams for that knowledge. They wanted the heart of their betrayer.
And Caleb knew his name.
Xev merely shrugged. “Born of equal parts good and bad. Like you.” He took Myone’s hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “All it took was a gentle nudge to send me in the right direction.” His gaze went to Lilliana. “I imagine you’ll be joining me now.”
Caleb shook his head. “I’m done with war. I’m a farmer.”
“Farmer?” Xev laughed until he realized Caleb meant those words.
Myone held out a small clay pot toward him. “This is why Xev is here. I asked him to bring it for the two of you.”
When he didn’t take it, she nudged it into his hands. “It’s a gift, Malphas. It doesn’t bite.”
A gift? He’d never expected such a thing, especially not from his brother and the woman who’d tried to kill him.
He had no idea what it was until he lifted the lid. Honestly, he couldn’t have been more shocked to find a cobra in there.
Caleb gaped. “Is this for real?”
Myone nodded. “No one should be separated from the one they love.”
No, they shouldn’t. And it made him ache for his brother and Myone.
“I can’t believe you did this.”
“What is it?” Lilliana asked as she frowned at the golden colored blob.
Caleb tilted the jar so that she could see it more clearly. “Your immortality.”
“My what?”
“’Tis ambrosia,” Caleb explained.
“And nectar.” Xev held up a small skin. “The two together will ensure that you never age or die.”
“Not completely true.” Caleb handed her the jar. “Even immortals can die.”
“Like when you were wounded in the cave.”
He nodded at Lil. “Exactly. Certain weapons and circumstances can end us.”
Her eyes widened. “Circumstances such as what?”
“Beheading,” Xev said before Caleb had a chance. “Cutting the head off most things will kill them. Immortal or not.”
She rubbed at her neck.
Wanting to reassure her, Caleb nudged it closer to her. “Go ahead, love. Eat it.”
Still, she hesitated. “Will it change me?”
“I wouldn’t give it to you if it did that. I love you as you are. The last thing I want is for you to change.”
