“Oh, yes. Ever since they were little boys. They could always communicate without words, even before Finn’s channels appeared. Used to drive me mad.”
Finn leaned over me to grab the wine bottle. Finding it empty, he stood. As he passed his mother’s chair, he dropped a kiss on her cheek. “You’re all talk, Mam. You know you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
She laughed and touched his shoulder affectionately as he went back into the house.
“I’m raiding the stash, Griff. Any requests?” he threw over his shoulder.
“Just none of that swill Freya conned you into buying simply because her friend was making it,” Griff called back.
Finn clapped a hand over his heart as if he was wounded. “That’s how I’m treated when all I was doing was helping a friend?”
Griff lobbed an empty shell at Finn, who redirected it with a flick of his hand. It hit the house instead.
I found myself grinning, the laughter infectious. Taking the twins out of Valdris had wrought a bigger change than I ever could have imagined.
I reached over the table to grip Griff’s hand. “Thank you for bringing me.”
He covered my hand with his, his eyes softening. “Anything for you, Princess.”
We stayed like that, the sound of the distant waves a cocoon of gentle noise, focusing the world to just this moment. Until Finn let out an exclamation inside and I jumped, moving my hand back to my lap. Everly was watching the two of us with a shrewd look in her eyes, an indulgent smile on her lips.
“What did you find?” Griff shouted, attention diverted back to his brother.
I cradled my hand in my lap, still feeling the warmth of his touch.
Finn popped back outside, waving a new bottle as if it were a trophy. “I found a bottle of wine from Aurantia hiding away. Mam, you’re holding out on us!”
I had no idea why Finn was so excited, but both Griff and Everlyoohedover it.
“I didn’t even know I still had a bottle of that!” Everly hastened to his side to examine it.
“So Lexie,” Finn said, as he was opening the bottle and pouring generous glasses for everyone. “You’ve survived a few months at the castle. Embracing royal life yet?”
I took a sip, the wine sweet and fruity. I scoffed at him. “Hardly. Although to the best of my knowledge, I haven’t heard of anyonethreatening to blackmail their siblings with embarrassing stories at the council meetings.”
Griff raised a brow. “Then you’re clearly not paying attention.”
“Speaking of which.” Finn grinned wickedly and waggled his eyebrows in my direction. “Remember, Griff, when you tried to impress… what was her name again? You tried to teleport onto her balcony?—”
“We are not discussing that,” Griff said flatly.
“Oh yes we are.” I leaned forward. “Do tell, Finn.”
Everly smothered a laugh. Clearly, she remembered the events. “That truce didn’t last long.”
Griff glowered at Finn, but undeterred, Finn continued, “Griff ended up materializing a few feet too far to the right, and landed in a bush. Roses, wasn’t it?” At Griff’s menacing look, Finn roared, “Spent the rest of the evening picking thorns out of his?—”
“I wassixteen,” Griff bit out. “And if we’re talking about romantic disasters, what about you accidentally broadcasting your thoughts about the… hmm…attributesof?—”
“Thatwas a learning experience in shielding.” Even in the dark, I could see Finn’s face go red.
“And what were these attributes you were so enamored with?” I asked innocently.
As Finn spluttered, Griff stepped in. “I suppose we shouldn’t be discussing my brother’s adolescent learning experiences at dinner.” His eyes gleamed with amusement.
“You know,” I started, “I think I have a fair idea that you both had mortifying experiences in your teenage years. Why don’t you call it quits before one of you says something that results in the other plotting revenge for the next decade?”
“Too late for that,” Griff said dryly.
