45. Love For His Brother

forty-five

Love For His Brother

Alessia

A s soon as our feet hit Spiritus land, I bolt to the tree door and descend into my court.

This time, the grand, gothic hallways are warm and welcoming, with golden light from the sconces bouncing around the walls. New pieces of furniture—sitting chairs, tables, and random decorative artifacts—decorate the nooks and crannies. Faint chatter echoes from various rooms.

My tense muscles melt with relief as I take it in, grateful for what my friends have done for me while I was away.

It’s not nearly as lonely as it was when I found it.

“Alessia!” A high-pitched voice calls, followed by the thud of slippered feet on the stone floor. “She’s back!”

Sheila flies into view a second later, her braided ponytail swinging behind her as she runs toward me.

Instinctively, I open my arms and catch her.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she mutters into my neck. She sniffles, squeezing me tight.

I release her. “What did I tell you about—”

“Yeah, yeah.” She pulls back, rolling her eyes and smiling despite the tears tracking down her cheeks. “I’m not thanking the fae—just you .” Reaching for my hands, she gives them a tight squeeze. “You brought my brother back. ”

“No, she kidnapped us, Sheila,” Zephyr’s voice reaches my ears. I glance up to catch him striding cautiously toward us. His gaze drops to my dress, and he freezes. “Is that blood ?” He turns to his sister. “Go take a bath! Now!”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s dried. Stop making a scene.”

“But that’s blood, and…” Zephyr’s eyes flit over my shoulder to the large males at my back, and he halts, his bravado deflating. “I mean—it could be worse, I guess.”

Rainer steps forward, tilting his head up and looking down his nose at the man. “You owe her for what she’s done for you. If it were me?” He pauses dramatically, then shrugs. “I wouldn’t be as nice to share air , let alone my home.”

Zephyr’s cheeks turn deep red. “Yes, sir.”

“Rainer,” I hiss. “Leave him alone. You don’t know what he’s been through.”

Rainer turns, stuffing his hands in his pocket. He quirks a brow at me. “Doesn’t give him an excuse to be an arse to you.”

I sigh, tenderly cupping his jaw. “Go, my love. Take Tynan to Sera—she needs to find a way to get him blood.”

Leaning forward, he kisses my cheek, then hovers there, whispering, “I trust you, little rose."

"Find me when you need me," I say softly.

“I will always need you.” He pulls away, pausing as his eyes dance around my face. The haunted look on his face eases slightly when he gazes at me, and my heart flutters.

“Awww,” Ken says.

I scrunch my nose, trying not to blush at having an audience for the tender moment. At least Zephyr and Sheila are human, so they likely couldn’t hear.

Rainer jerks his head toward Ken. The bear shifter cradles Tynan’s body in his arms as they stride toward the heart of the court and out of sight.

“Is th-that another dead body?” a shell-shocked Zephyr says, blinking rapidly. “Gods save me.”

Ignoring his question, I say, “You can leave soon—once Dovenak is safe. I won’t stop you.”

“Oh my gods,” Zephyr repeats, staring at Ken and Tynan’s lifeless frame.

Sheila scowls at him, crossing her arms. “And go where, Zeph? Home ? We have no home. Stop ruining this for me.”

He grips her elbows, shaking them gently as he pleads with her. “We can make a home of our own.”

“Or we can stay here. Yeah, you know what? I like it here!” She jerks away from his touch and storms off, stomping her feet the entire way.

“Wait! Sheila!” Zephyr chases after her, leaving Ez and me alone in my grand foyer.

I glance up, taking in the carved ceilings overhead. All the edges are soft and curvy. There’s not really anything sharp or violent to the architecture. It gives me a sense of comfort.

Inhaling a deep breath, I take in the scent of soil and wood. It smells clean and fresh without all the dust.

“Well, now what?” I ask Ez.

“I need to inform Yvanthia of your bond now that you’re back in the realm,” Ez says. “Ensure she doesn’t try to replace Rainer.”

“It’s a good thing though, right?” I swallow the thick lump in my throat. “She won’t be able to hurt him now? ”

He shakes his head. “The inability to eliminate him without simultaneously eliminating you would return her to her original predicament.” Before I can reply, he smirks at me and says, “Besides, she won’t be an issue for much longer.”

“How are you going to… you know?”

“Leave that to me.” He winks. “I have a plan.”

“And… what exactly is this plan?”

“With everything you have going on here—” he gestures around my court, his smile growing “—you have enough to worry about.”

“Can I do anything to help?”

“Alessia, darling, you have helped more than enough.” He steps forward, checking over my shoulder before reaching for my hand and planting a chaste kiss on the back of it.

I blush furiously, pulling my hand out of his clasp. Rainer would lose it if he saw. “You’re going to get us killed!”

He throws his head back, laughing. “No, no. I would only get myself killed.”

“Get on with it then, go see Yvanthia.” I give him a gentle shove, shooing him.

He glances down, chuckling at his robe. “I should probably find my trousers first.”

Shaking his head, he strides past me, tightening his robe.

“Wait—your pants are here ?” I ask with a furrowed brow.

Tilting his head, he gives me another smug smile over his shoulder.

“Gross!” I call after him. As much as I love Ez and Fern, the thought of them together is… actually, maybe it’s not awful. “ Hold on a second.”

I jog after him, catching up before he goes too far. He continues to walk, and I keep pace with him as we turn down a residential hallway.

“How are you bonded to a human ,” I whisper, my eyes widening conspiratorially. “She is human, right?”

He laughs, side-eyeing me. “Yes, Alessia. She is.”

“So you confirm! It’s Fern!” Despite my hunches, the confirmation sends a bolt of surprise through me.

The grin on his face grows. “That woman is a… wow .” He whistles. “Too bad she hates me.”

We reach a door, and Ez raps out a rhythm. It swings open, revealing Fern. Her burgundy hair is thrown up into a messy bun, and she’s dressed in a modest tunic with leggings.

“Oh, it’s you.” She slams the door in his face.

“Darling, wait,” Ez says, placing his arm on the doorframe and leaning into the door. He uses the back of his pointer knuckle to leisurely rap on the wood again. “Alessia is with me.”

The door swings open. Fern narrows her eyes at Ez, crossing her arms, and then gives me a half-smile. “Hey,” she says. A storm brews behind her eyes, but I know it’s not reserved for me. “Glad you’re back.”

I nod, looking between the two of them. “I think he needs his pants.”

Fern sighs, glancing over her shoulder into the room. She kicks the door open with her bare foot, rolling her eyes. “You left them on purpose.”

“Perhaps I knew you’d abandon me after our passionate love-making.” Ez winks at me before entering the room. “I needed a reason to see you again. ”

Fern huffs a breath, her eyes shooting to the ceiling as she mutters something inaudible. “Once was enough. Twice was a mistake—”

“And the third time’s a charm?” Ez offers coyly.

“Oh my gods,” I say, stifling my laughter into my palm. “Fern, I will see you later. Good luck.” I glance at lovesick Ezamae, shaking my head. “Aren’t you supposed to be an enchanter?”

He frowns at me. “Using my power on my own bonded would be in poor taste.”

“I’m not your bonded, you freak,” Fern grumbles. “Get your pants and get out.” She shoves at his chest, and his robe falls open, revealing more skin than I care to see. She eyes him, licking her lips while pouting.

“Bye!” I avert my eyes, quickly trotting down the hallway.

Fern and Ezamae… disbelief and humor pour out of me as I laugh, wondering how that’s even possible.

Love and fate don’t play by the rules , my shadow-self says.

“I don’t think they’re in love,” I mumble, my lips twitching.

Said as if you and Rainer never had your obstacles.

The memories of first meeting Rainer flood my mind, warming my body from the inside out. I always thought he was ethereally handsome, even if he was a complete bastard. But he was so much more than an arse. He was an enigmatic prince, tending to his flowers and secretly caring for those around him. He was— is —a tender soul who protects those he cares about.

Even if it’s sometimes done a little aggressively.

Love for him floods my veins, and I send it down the bond toward him. It vibrates back like an invisible cord wrapped around my heart, infusing me with affection .

As I walk, I continue to process everything, trying to make sense of what comes next. Ez says he’ll take care of Yvanthia, and I trust he can do so. He’s more equipped than I am to murder the faerie queen, after all. At least, for now, Rainer is protected by our bond.

And in the meantime, Enid is rounding up her friends to bring us the iron. I also trust that she will keep her word and do what’s right—dismantling the Trade and providing us with the iron. She’s been around a lot longer than I have. Maybe I can have Seraphina read her aura when they meet.

After we receive the iron, the sorceresses will make the concoction to neutralize the magic. Sennah and Ez will use their elemental and air power to spread it throughout the forest. Despite the obstacles, our plan is proving fruitful thus far. We’re close to achieving what we set out to do.

All of this is great, it’s what I wanted to accomplish, but these are all the next steps for everyone else. What’s next for me ? How do I fit in here in Spiritus Court?

What about Rainer and Umbra Court?

The question is like a heavy boulder perched atop a hill, ready to come crashing down.

Sucking in a deep breath, I keep walking—one step at a time. I’ll deal with everything one second at a time. My feet move on their own accord, and soon I recognize the door to the muniment room looming before me. I came here mindlessly, as if I knew it was the one place I could truly be alone.

The hallway is cold and narrower than the others. My gut sinks with every step. After Eoin’s name, I didn’t ever want to add another.

At least it’s not Rainer .

This time, the shadow-self’s voice— my voice, I suppose—is soothing. Reassuring.

“You’re right,” I say aloud. “At least it’s not Rainer, but I'm not adding his brother's name either.”

My heart squeezes tighter and tighter at the prospect of writing Tynan’s name in the ledger. Once I'm in the muniment room, I close the door behind me, sink to the ground, and let the tears burst out. I cry until I'm a dehydrated husk, emptying every bit of my sorrows into the vacant space.

Somehow, I know it’s not only my pain but mostly Rainer’s. I need to be right about Tynan—he can't be dead.

As detached as he acts, the Umbra Prince truly does possess love for his brother.