Eria’s eyes sparkled, alight with a bittersweet happiness. “Oh. You.” She leaned in like she was going to tell him a secret. “You already have. And that’s quite alright.”
Killian swallowed harshly and brought Eria’s hands to his forehead. “Can I ask you—”
“I will try,” Eria interrupted. “I’ll be there for him, if he letsme.”
“That’s all I ask.” Killian kissed her knuckles and clutched her hands to his chest reverently. No words were enough to convey everything he owed her or how much she meant to him. He hoped she understood. “Thank you.”
Eria smiled as though she did. “You go on now. I’ll tell my Oriphen you say hello.”
She stepped away, giving room for Kade to approach, but he didn’t move. He was scowling down at the ground, scuffing his boot in the dirt.
Killian’s heart ached.
Kade only moved when Killian called for him. Reluctantly, he approached, dragging his feet all the way. He stopped when there was less than a foot between them. A stubborn contradiction, wanting to be close and yet resolutely refusing to look at Killian.
Killian let Kade stew with a half-hearted roll of his eyes. There was a storm on the younger elf’s face, his mouth turned down and his eyes rimmed with red. He’d been crying.
Killian hated that.
“No goodbyes,” said Killian. “We’ll see each other again.”
That made Kade laugh. A short, bitter laugh. “I know you’d rather die than come back here again.”
“But I would. For you.”
Kade’s lips twitched. “I know you would. But Eria’s right. You shouldn’t. You should never come back here. Not even for me.”
Was this it for them as well? Killian didn’t think he could survive that.
Kade had every right to ask Killian not to come back. He’dfucked Kade’s life up enough as it was.
“We can meet somewhere in the middle then,” Killian proposed.
Kade nodded and shrugged.
Sliding a hand into place on the back of Kade’s neck, Killian dropped his forehead onto the younger elf’s. He said, “Well. I guess this is it.” Kade trembled, then bit his bottom lip to keep from whining. “If you need me, I’ll come. I promise.”
Kade nodded again. Then, as if a string were cut, he sagged into Killian. His hands twisted into Killian’s uniform, his shoulders shaking. In a small voice, barely audible, Kade confessed, “I don’t want you to go.”
Killian closed his eyes and felt his heart shatter.
There was nothing for Killian to say to that. So he tugged Kade closer and held him for a moment. He savored the feel of Kade in his arms, real for once rather than just in his dreams, and tried desperately not to think about the when the next time could be.
Kade drew away first. Finally looking into Killian’s eyes, he whispered, “Travel safely, Killi.”
Eria and Kade watched as Killian mounted. Gathering the reins in his hands, he gave them one final nod and dug his heels into the bay’s sides to get him moving.
Killian didn’t look back as he rode away from the vineyard for the last time.
Tanya shrieked when she opened the door, and promptly tried to slam it in Killian’s face.
Catching the edge of the sturdy oak, Killian didn’t wait for an invitation before shoving her out of the way and stepping overthe threshold into her home. Sila shot to his feet from where he’dd been enjoying a slow morning at his kitchen table with his wife, two mugs let out twirls of steam and the scent of spiced java filled the room. A beautiful spread of biscuits, sausages, and eggs were plated for breakfast.
The tavern had been Killian’s first order of business after leaving the vineyard behind. Despite what Kade had begged, it didn’t feel right to Killian to leave without answers, without at least trying to fix this for Kade.
Sila had always lived in the attached house behind the tavern, just as his father had and his father’s father had.
Tanya ran for her husband. Sila pulled her behind him and backed them against the counter, his arm splayed protectively over his wife. His eyes flickered from the swords on Killian’s back to the dagger on his thigh and then to a small parring knife next to his abandoned plate.
