Page 85 of A Cruel Kindness

I was focused on the fact that his selfishness was so pervasive, it made his kind, wonderful, tender-hearted daughter think stepping on the front lines of war was the only way to change things.

My heart rate kicked up when I felt the roads change from dirt to the paved streets of the outskirts of Florus. The main island on Vir was divided between the arid, uninhabited desert they’d discovered the Bridge in and the oasis that contained the capital.

Dotted throughout our blue ocean were seven islands, each heralding one of the ruling Royal families. I’d grown up in the Rystrom islands, the eastern most of the group, until I was fifteen and my family came to power.

Bellamy’s family came from the island just south of us. In fact, the Edelstennes and the Rystroms were historically allies.

Bellamy’s head popped off my chest a second later, her eyes narrowing as she looked at my sternum, as if she could see past it to my heart. Her gaze drifted up, her eyebrows pinching together in silent question. Are you okay?

I nodded, smoothing my hand down her shoulder. This would be weird, but managing weirdness was far better than managing bloodshed and fearing for your life.

We hit a particularly sharp turn, and our eyes collided, knowing exactly what that meant. There was a hairpin turn at the private entrance of the castle.

We’d arrived.

As we slowed to a stop, Bellamy opened her hand on her knee. Not exactly taking mine, but offering hers if I wanted. Giving me the choice to stand on my own, but communicating that she was there.

I folded my hand over hers.

After a quick one-two knock on the door, a soldier leaned forward and unlatched the lock, pushing the door open. The first thing I saw was the almost neon blue sky. Muli was a much paler blue, and the desert sand made the sky at the Bridge lose its color.

This was the sky I grew up staring at.

I let Bellamy go first, watching carefully as she stepped out of the car. I had half a mind to cut off those stupid iron steps for daring to bruise her skin.

Melt them down and make a sword, the Bond suggested. Not a bad idea.

I descended the steps next, and before I could even take in my surroundings, a blonde ball of energy collided into my chest.

Carina.

I hugged her tight to my chest, almost scared to see how much she’d changed. She’d been sixteen when I left. That made her twenty-two. She would be a young woman now.

After a moment, I bit the bullet.

Carina and I had always been told we looked similar, but after so long, it was jarring staring into eyes that looked so much like mine.

“Hey, big brother,” she said, her carved features softening with a smile.

My throat started to close up, betraying me. When I looked over Carina’s shoulder and saw Bellamy blinking rapidly to dispel tears, I almost lost it.

I hugged Carina again as I noticed my parents standing off to the side. Carefully releasing my sister, I walked over to them.

They’d never been particularly affectionate, so I just nodded and said, “Hello.”

“It’s good to see you well, son,” my dad said, his voice slightly deeper with age. “Though I could have done without the extra jewelry.”

Ah, if that wasn’t a reminder of home. I’d gotten my nose ring weeks after enlisting. I knew my father would hate it.

“I think it suits him,” Carina said, ever my defender.

The Bond tugged at my center, and I turned to find Bellamy looking on the scene. I knew her now, and knew that her carefully poised posture was actually a hard won stance, when she really wanted to fidget.

“Bell,” I said softly, ushering her over. She approached carefully.

I snuck a look at my father to see him openly glaring at her.

“Something wrong?” I snapped, my voice more the Bond’s than my own.