Isaiah continued to pace in the background. He gripped the back of his neck, his eyes scanning wildly as if he hated Kaden’s plan and was desperate to come up with another. I took out a worn length of cloth and tied it around my knee.
“Who will you give me to?” I asked.
Kaden didn’t even blink. “Whoever pays the most.”
I frowned and repacked my supplies before standing. I lifted my basket to sling it onto my back, but Kaden snatched it from me.
“Hey,” I snapped, reaching for it.
“You already fell once because this is too heavy. I’m not having you slow us down when you fall on your ass again,” he snarled down at me. I took a step back as he hoisted it over his shoulder.
“You’re mean,” I said, folding my arms.
He flashed a smile my way. “I know.”
I stuck my tongue out at him, but he ignored me and spun toward his brother. “Would you stop your obsessive pacing?”
Isaiah skidded to a stop, practically running into Kaden. “I can’t leave her.”
Kaden’s face recoiled in disgust. “Nismera tried to kill us both, and I enjoy being fucking alive.”
This time, Isaiah recoiled. “No, not her. Imogen.”
My ears perked up. He knew of Imogen? She was Dianna’s friend. I’d never met her, but Dianna had told me stories of how she and Neverra had helped her. Dianna loved her and said that they were all basically sisters. Dianna said that once we got them back, we would have a party of slumber. I wanted to go home. I missed her so much.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Kaden said, pushing past his brother with enough force to almost knock him over.
“She is with Milani. I know that much,” Isaiah called out to him.
Kaden stopped so abruptly that his boots dug into the soil. He turned and slowly walked back toward his brother. “What’s your big plan? We storm her armada? The same armada that owns the entire southern realm, the same armada that blacks out the sky when she invades?”
Isaiah tossed his hands up. “I haven’t gotten that far yet.”
Kaden sighed, his jaw pulling tight. “Of course, you haven’t. You want me to do it. There’s no plan here that would work, Isaiah. There’s no way we could get close enough to save her without dying in the process. Her armada is impregnable. You know this, and I am sure as hell not risking my life or yours over pussy.”
Isaiah whipped his head toward Kaden at that word.
“Especially pussy you never even had.”
Kaden turned away and yanked my basket tighter over his shoulder. He tore at the low-hanging branches, breaking the ones in his way and tossing them aside.
“It’s more than that and you know it,” Isaiah called, stomping after him.
Kaden tossed a dismissive hand over his shoulder, but kept going. I grabbed my skirts and hurried after them.
“Ah, yes. Love at first sight, or whatever bullshit you still read about in those damn poetry books you’ve kept.” Kaden barked a laugh. “Gods, you’re so lucky I never told your legion what you read in your spare time. When you find her, will you compare her hair to a meadow of flowers or some shit before you die?”
“You’re a prick,” Isaiah yelled at his back. “Those books looked pretty worn when you gave them to me, so I doubt I’m the only one who likes poetry. But then it’s laughable that you’d know anything of love. You love no one and nothing.”
Kaden spun, his hands clenching the straps of the basket. “How canyou,out of everyone, say that? I love you, do I not? And I loved—” He stopped and sucked in his bottom lip as if trying to recall his words. He shook his head. “It’s not love, Isaiah. You saw a beautiful girl who could fight and wield a sword. You were lonely and horny and thought it was love. It was not.”
My brows furrowed. What did horny mean?
Isaiah’s chest heaved. “Is that what you tell yourself about Dianna?”
My basket fell, and I heard a pop as Kaden punched Isaiah across the face. Isaiah stumbled but quickly righted himself, licking at his busted lip. He didn’t look as if he were in pain. Quite the opposite, actually.
“You love Dianna?” I blurted, Isaiah’s words rattling around in my head.
