“Oh, gods, he must be good,” Rayea groaned. “What I’d give to take him for a spin.”
Kade’s knuckles went white around his glass. The verythought of them getting near Killi made him quiver. It was bad enough they were breathing the same air.
“It certainly would be quite the bragging rights,” said Galet. “To lay with one who has served the king.”
“I bet he looks amazing under that uniform.” Rayea suddenly perked up, her mouth open like she’d just had her first original thought. “Who do you think is the one who…you know…” She gestured vaguely.
Galet finished for her. “Bends?”
Rayea giggled.
Rolling his eyes, Kade mimed throwing up.
“Alright. That’s enough,” Taiga interrupted, pulling out the chair next to Kade and falling into it. “You girls are disgusting.”
“It’s just a bit of harmless fun.” Galet shrugged. “Don’t be so boring.”
Taiga turned to Kade. “Ignore them. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”
Kade hummed.
Galet and Rayea turned their glazed eyes on Kade like they were just remembering he existed.
Rayea started, “You’re his brother—”
“Not by blood.” That distinction felt oddly important.
“—could you introduce us?”
“I’d rather die,” said Kade, extremely serious.
The girls pouted in exaggerated disappointment. Galet then tapped Rayea on the wrist and pointed with her chin to something across the room. Their attention elsewhere, they were soon gone and Kade was left boiling.
Gulping down the rest of his drink, Kade poured himself another glass of sweet red wine, and then another, and another.It was good, though not as good as what they made in Turell. He vaguely wondered when they would tap into those barrels.
“No one’s going to take the bottle from you, you know,” said Taiga, looking unimpressed with Kade’s behavior. “You can just sip on it.“
Kade glared, then remembered that this was his friend, and smiled apologetically. Taiga sighed and got up, saying he was going to find Porthos, and hesitantly invited Kade to join them once he figured his shit out.
Killi was exactly where Kade had left him before getting sucked into that awful, horrible conversation. Only he wasn’t alone anymore.
Jolting in his seat, Kade felt the anger rise again as Killi had his head bent close to his lieutenantLoran,barely an inch between them.
There was a shy seductive smile on Loran’s face, his stupid dimples putting in work. He had one hand on Killi’s bicep as he whispered.
Kade was horrified when he saw Killi lick his lips, and when he met Loran’s eyes, a smirk pulled at the corners of his lips.
Loran took a step away, a step towards the exit closest to them, and gestured with his head for Killi to follow. There was an enticing twist to Loran’s body as he left the hall, throwing a glance over his shoulder to where Killi stood.
Don’t.
Don’t.
Please, don’t.
Kade wanted to scream.
It felt like a knife to the gut when Kade had to watch Killi murmur something to Fyar, and then slip away into theshadows after Loran.
