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I didn’t want to follow him, but my options were limited. I had no doubt Adrian would love to throw me in a dungeon until the next full moon, which would be unacceptable. I still needed to do recon and get to the portal at the next opportunity. So, a bath it would be, for now.

I pocketed the lavender, unsure why I was keeping it, and let it warm my thigh all the way to the bath, the heat that lingered from Adrian’s touch never cooling.

CHAPTER TEN

LEO

Iwasn’t surprised to hear Bryn had tried to flee the castle this morning in pursuit of the portal.

I wouldn’t take a stranger’s word as truth, either. Plus, she had always been stubborn.

I did, however, think she would lay low for longer than a day to let her body heal.

I tried not to let her condition unsettle me; soldiers were prone to injuries, and she was a soldier, she would want to be treated as such. But it did; the bruising on her face like a kick to the gut.

I’d been away, checking on portals to the north during Bryn’s brief liberation, but Adrian had reported it to me the second I’d arrived back. He delivered the news with an attitude while I’d smiled at her courageousness.

Better Adrian had been the one to find her than me, because I still wasn’t sure how to act around her. If I had found her, I most likely would’ve laughed at her precocious nature, even though her movements had been reckless and could have put her in immediate danger.

Better to leave the scolding to Adrian than to me.

“The latest attack on Six confirms the Deks are learning how to use the portal system,” the voice of one of my royal advisers said, bringing me back to the present conversation I’d been zoning out on.

The portrait of me and my parents hung in my peripheral while the voice droned on, “They’re smarter than we originally thought.”

“Or, they’re being led by a more intelligent source,” said another.

I glanced across the table to Adrian, who refused to make eye contact with me. Aside from telling me Bryn had been on the run, he’d been avoiding me. Punishment for keeping Bryn a secret all these years.

Growing up, the three of us had been inseparable. I’d be mad, too, if he’d hidden something like this from me. But if he had the power I did, I was certain he would’ve made the same choice.

He never would’ve let Bryn go.

“It won’t be long before they discover another Earth,” said Adrian. “All Earths must tighten up their security at their portals.” His eyes finally met mine as he said, “Or not only will there be another attack, but knowledge of the portal system will be at risk.”

I nodded, he was right. If mankind found out there were other Earths that existed, especially in a way that involved an attack from Deks, it would cause mass chaos.

The moment needed to be right if the worlds were to ever unite.

I was honestly surprised Bryn had taken the news of our existence as well as she did. Then again, she’d attempted to run away at the first chance she had, so maybe she wasn’t taking it entirely well after all.

“I’ll speak with The Nine at our next meeting,” I confirmed. “In addition, I’ll offer what extra men we have to help reinforce the portals outside our own, and we’ll need to send word to Four to distribute as many extra Mag-Guns as they can to all of the nine Earths.”

My advisers nodded their heads in unison as I called the meeting to an end.

“Adrian,” I said, wanting to speak with him in private, “a word.”

When the last of the advisers exited the room, Adrian kicked his feet up on the table, lounging back; his demeanor screaming annoyed.

“King,” he addressed me, as I worked to ignore the sarcasm in his tone.

“How long are you planning on staying mad at me?”

“Hm, I don’t know. Let’s start with twenty-six years, seeing as that’s how long you lied to me for.” He relaxed back farther in his chair, bringing his hands behind his head.

“If anyone else had known about the rebirth, they would’ve been at risk of persecution along with me.”

“I’m not just anyone, Leo!” Adrian whipped his feet down from the table, leaning across to spit his next words at me. “We’ve known each other our entire lives, and you keep something like this from me?”