Lucien has never felt more whole than he does here, surrounded by broken things. Throne, crown, and king, all shattered, but mending.
He can’t wait to see where the repairs lead.
?
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Kazia
Fingering the object in his coat pocket, Kazia drags his thoughts away from Lucien’s insinuation. Now isn’t the time—Herald Hyda is already stepping forward.
“Your next audience is ready, Your Majesty,” Hyda declares enthusiastically. She’s been relishing the new import of her role.
“Let them in,” Kazia says, though he feels more conflicted about this audience than the last. Greeting his guests at the front gates might have been more polite. They’ve traveled quite a distance. But Kazia needs to signal his position.
As the doors open, Hyda announces, “Vana Kaiskara Dire and Daromir Azri.”
Kazia hasn’t seen his oldest brother since their last game of aerie. Yet he feels he knows him better than ever, thanks to the stupid letters.
Vana looks different. So does Daromir. They’re dressed in comfortable clothes, and far more color than Kazia remembers them wearing. Vana’s coat is blue, sewn with white and greenflowers, for fuck’s sake. They’re both several shades more tan. Vana wasn’t lying in all those letters about the beach.
“Leave us,” Kazia says. “I’ll speak to my brother in private.”
“Does that include me?” Lucien asks as the heralds and guards file out.
Kazia taps the arm of the throne. “You’re staying, of course.”
He wants privacy, but he still doesn’t trust other mages. No matter how helpful Vana has been.
Vana and Daromir stop beneath the dais, taking in the surrounding destruction. While Vana bows, Daromir remains tall and ever watchful.
Kazia suppresses his first instinctive greeting: ‘I thought my brother was visiting, not a pair of boiled lobsters.’ He’s a king now. He needs to be polite and dignified.
“Stop bowing. I can see your bald spot.”
Oops.
Lucien muffles his laughter poorly.
Vana straightens up, smiling, damn him. “It’s good to see you too, brother.”
“Kaiskarans don’t bald,” Daromir adds. “If they did, there are elixirs for that.”
“I have one correction for your heralds.” Vana glances at his bodyguard, his smile softening. “My name is Vana Kaiskara Azri now.”
“What?” Kazia’s jaw drops. Vana took the family name when he joined House Dire, which must mean… “You let your bodyguard adopt you?”
Everyone stares.
Faintly, Vana says, “No, he married me.”
Oh. Kazia always used to joke about how close Vana and Daromir were, but that was it—jokes. “I suppose that’s slightly less weird.”
Daromir’s bright green eyes crinkle with mirth. “Glad to have your blessing, Your Majesty.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Kazia doesn’t look up, but he can just tell Lucien is about to burst into laughter. Time to wrestle this conversation into order. “Let’s have some introductions. Lucien, these are obviously my brother and his bodyguard. Vana and Daromir this is… Lucien Vaire.”
The wordloverfeels far too intimate and true to speak out loud. By Lucien’s grin and Vana’s raised eyebrows, it’s still audible in the silences. Fuck, Kazia needs a new title for Lucien, if only to introduce him without stammering.
