Clearly, Killian had interrupted something.
“Ah, Captain.” Fyar leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. “What a surprise.” He turned to Loran. “Thank you, Lieutenant. You may go.”
Loran bowed his head. On his way out the door, he nodded to Killian, though it seemed more out of protocol than a greeting. He refused to even look at Killian, his gaze locked on the floor ahead of him.
“I wasn’t expecting to run into Loran here of all places,” said Killian. “He gave me his report hours ago. Nothing found in the searches. Did something happen that I’m unaware of?”
“That is the question I’ve been asking myself lately,” Fyar said gravely. “I asked Loran to report to me directly.” He gave no further explanation.
The jab stung. “I see.”
“What did you come here for, Captain? I’m not expecting anymore reports from you tonight.”
Killian felt wrong-footed and off balance. This elf before him, sitting tall and proud with a politely blank expression on his face, wasn’t the friend that Killian had come to know, it was a king. A king with his guard up. “I just wanted to see how you were feeling. It’s been a long day.”
“A long day,” Fyar repeated slowly. “Yes. That’s one way to put it.” A deep breath. “It’s been a long time since I’ve lost family. It never gets easier.”
They stared at each other. The truth sparking between them. Killian wondered if Fyar would say it. If he would admit it.
He did. Fyar confessed, “I could have saved him.”
Killian made a confession of his own. “I know.”
“You didn’t say anything when your brother was pointing fingers.”
“There was nothing to say. I would never speak against you in front of a crowd, you should know that. My loyalties lie with you.”
“I wish I could believe that,” Fyar said, folding his hands in his lap. “But under these circumstances. Well. I have my doubts.”
Helpless to stop it, Killian blurted out, “It wasn’t me. I know you have your suspicions. You’d be stupid not to, but it wasn’t me.”
It was hard to breathe as he waited for Fyar’s response. He was all too aware that this could be the end.
Killian was willing to fight, claw, beg for Fyar to see. For hisfriendto see him.
Fyar's face gave nothing away. “You, more than anyone, know what it took for me to get here. What I’ve sacrificed. WhatI’ve done. You stood by my side through it all, and I will never forget that. I want to believe you—”
“So believe me!” Killian was moving, and suddenly he was on his knees in front of Fyar’s chair, his hands on Fyar’s knees. “Believe me. Believe I would never betray you.”
Clenching his jaw, Fyar scowled, his mask beginning to slip. “If not you, then who?”
Killian opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He didn’t have an answer.
Fyar nodded like he understood. Like that was what he’d been expecting. He unfolded his hands and dropped one of them onto a thick leather-bound ledger on his desk. Killian recognized it instantly. He should, it was his after all. Swiped from its place in his office.
The record log of evening reports, all there, kept neat and tidy.
A gift from Loran, no doubt.
“It has come to my attention,” Fyar said, tapping one finger on the log book. “That some reports don’t contain all the information they should. Mainly,yourreports. Or lack thereof. Your visits to forbidden areas of my estate. Yourguest.” He knew. Goddammit. He knew. “You were seen. You’re not stupid. So, I’ll ask you again. If not you, then who?”
Killian lowered his head.
Fyar caught his chin, his fingers tight, when he drew Killian’s head back up, not letting him hide. Forcing him to face this. Fyar’s eyes were scorching.
For the first time in a long time, Killian felt the telltale tingling throughout his body of Fyar pulling on hisenil. It was like a buzzing under his skin, roiling and raging, growing withintent as Fyar played with him. If Fyar asked again, Killian would have no choice but to answer honestly.
It grew until Killian was choking on it, his body quivering under the weight of Fyar’s control. The leash pulled taut around his neck. And then, it was gone.
