Chapter Two

"I'm pretty sure we're lost," Bennett said.

Meyer had a stubborn expression, so Bennett was pretty sure that nothing he could say right now would get through to him. It was lucky that he was used to it. Meyer had always been stubborn, but never more than when he was convinced that he was right. He thought the gym was here and he'd find it.

Bennett was just along for the ride.

"I'm telling you, I checked the map Marlow gave me. I'm sure it's around here," Meyer insisted.

"We've been poking around this area of the castle for twenty minutes, and we still haven't found it. Even if it's here, it's probably better if we come back later." If anything, because Bennett had enough of opening doors. Every time, he got nervous, because there was no way to know what was behind them. What if he interrupted one of the mages working? Even worse, what if he walked in on someone in their private space? He wanted to find the gym, but not that badly.

But the set of Meyer's jaw told Bennett that his best friend would find the gym. Bennett could either choose to follow Meyer or leave him, but his choice wouldn't change what Meyer would do.

Bennett sighed. He supposed he'd stick around for a bit longer. Either Meyer would find the gym, or he'd eventually have to give up.

They opened another five doors before they found the right one. Meyer's victorious expression when he walked into the well-equipped gym quickly disappeared, and it took Bennett only a few seconds to understand why.

A lone figure was running on one of the treadmills. Bennett didn't have to wonder to know who it was. Tyne was the largest of the mages. He was also the most muscular, and there was no mistaking him for any of the other men living in the castle except maybe Marlow and Parker. He looked like the kind of person who could defend himself against an army with just a sword, not like someone who needed a dragon shield.

Right now, he also looked like the kind of person who was about to kill Bennett's best friend. The treadmill was turned away from the door, but it was in front of a mirror, which meant Tyne could see Bennett and Meyer. His gaze was on Meyer as if Bennett didn't exist, which was perfectly fine with Bennett.

Tyne scared him. The man hadn't done or said anything to him in particular, but he had a threatening aura, and the way he'd treated Meyer wasn't great. He hadn't threatened him, but he behaved as if he hated Meyer, which didn't sit right with Bennett. Tyne didn't know Meyer. He knew who Meyer had been, but that was in the past.

Bennett was pretty sure that Tyne could turn them into frogs with one flick of his fingers, though, so he kept his distance.

Meyer should do the same. Whatever had happened between him and Tyne, Tyne clearly wasn't over it, and he looked like he was about to throw Meyer into his cauldron. Meyer didn't seem to care. Bennett watched as he sucked in a breath, squared his shoulders, and made a beeline for Tyne.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Meyer said as if he and Tyne were friends.

Bennett cringed and wondered if he should leave. He doubted Meyer would want him to see his humiliation, and Bennett had no doubt it was coming. Tyne's expression was set, and Bennett wondered if he was thinking about the best spell to use on Meyer.

No one had been able to tell Meyer what had happened between him and Tyne. Bennett wasn't having an easy time with Penley, either, but at least he wasn't behaving like he hated him. Bennett doubted Penley could hate anyone. He was too gentle and sweet for that.

But not Tyne. Bennett looked around in case he needed cover as Tyne turned off the treadmill and grabbed his towel. He ran it over his arms and face, and even though he wasn't Bennett's type, Bennett couldn't look away.

He preferred his boyfriends to be the same size as him or smaller. He'd dated a few guys bigger than him, but even if he hadn't, he had eyes. He could see that Tyne was gorgeous.

In a very lethal kind of way.

Tyne ignored Meyer and climbed off the treadmill. When he turned toward the door, it was clear that he wasn't going to let Meyer closer.

Bennett felt sorry for his friend. Meyer yearned for answers, but no one could give them to him. No matter how many times he asked, he was still in the dark when it came to his past.

"You need to stop running away from me," Meyer said. "I don't know what I did to you, but I can't fix it if you don't tell me. I have no memories."

Meyer's words went straight to Bennett's heart, maybe because he was in the same position. Tyne didn't seem to care, though. He stepped away from the treadmill and headed for the door.

Bennett's eyes widened when Meyer caught Tyne's arm. All three of them froze, and Bennett waited for the explosion.

What would Tyne do? Would he hit Meyer, or would he use his magic against him?

Bennett didn't know what the mages could do. He'd seen them using magic, but nothing big, and he was curious. Magic had to have limitations, but he didn't know what those limitations were. What would happen if Tyne attacked Meyer using his magic? Would the bond between them allow it?

Was there even a bond between them? Meyer seemed convinced of it, but Bennett wasn't. They'd both been told about the bond between a mage and his shield. They knew that the bond was always there, but also that it could be deepened through sex. Something told Bennett that he and Penley had never been that close, but he had no idea about Tyne and Meyer. Them having been in a relationship would certainly explain why Tyne was so angry, though. If they'd shared feelings before, it would make sense that they still did, and maybe Tyne was so angry because Meyer didn't remember.

"Don't touch me," Tyne said with a growl as he shook Meyer's hand off.

"All right," Meyer said. He raised his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, but please, can we talk?"

Tyne paused and looked at Meyer. For a moment, Bennett thought he'd finally cave. It was the first time he'd looked straight at Meyer since they'd arrived at the castle, and it felt like a step forward.

Until Tyne turned and walked away.

Meyer didn't try to stop him this time. Instead, he watched Tyne slam out of the gym, his shoulders slumping. Bennett wished there was something he could do for his friend, but he had no idea where to start. His own life was in shambles. Meyer would have to deal with this on his own, even though Bennett disliked that idea.

"I don't want to train anymore," Meyer said.

"Let's go to the kitchen, then. It's almost time for lunch, and I'm sure Jillian could use some help."

Bennett knew his friend. Usually, when Meyer was hurt, he hid. He ran away and spent time on his own, and when he came back, he acted as if nothing had happened.

He wouldn't be able to do so now. Everyone knew he wasn't okay, including all these people who'd just met him. They could see it in the way he looked at Tyne, but even more so, they knew because they knew Tyne.

Meyer stayed quiet as they walked out of the gym and to the kitchen, but Bennett kept an eye on him. He saw the instant Meyer's mask went back up before they entered the kitchen. Meyer plastered a smile on his lips, straightened his back, and walked in as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Bennett was never far from Meyer as they helped Jillian put out food and silverware. If he hadn't known Meyer as well as he did, he wouldn't have been able to tell something was wrong with him. He and Meyer had been friends for decades, though. Bennett knew him almost better than he knew himself, so he could tell how much pain Meyer felt. It might not be physical, but it didn't make it any less painful.

If there was anything Bennett could do to help Meyer, he would have done it already. The only thing he could think of was talking to Tyne, but he couldn't help but wonder if it would help or make things worse, which was the last thing Meyer needed.

Although, at this point, Bennett didn't see how things could get worse.

* * * *

Penley wasn't surprised to find Bennett already in the dining room when he arrived for lunch. He and Meyer had been present for every meal. The meals were the moments during which everyone was more relaxed and friendly, so it was great for Bennett and Meyer to get to know the mages and the other people who lived at the castle.

Well, everyone was more relaxed except for Tyne.

He was nowhere to be found, which wasn't a surprise. He'd always been a loner, even before the dragons had started coming back. Now that Meyer was here, though, Tyne had been avoiding everyone, not just his dragon.

Penley wished he knew what had happened between Tyne and Meyer. He wanted to help Tyne. Even though they weren't related by blood, they'd lived together in the castle for a long time, and Penley considered him and the other mages his family. He didn't want any of his brothers to be in pain, and it was clear that Tyne was.

Penley's gaze drifted to Bennett. He was sitting between Meyer and Emory. Emory was another person Bennett worried about. The dragon had been quiet since he'd moved in with them, and Penley didn't know if it was because he felt he didn't belong here or if it was his personality.

It had to be awful for him to be suddenly surrounded by dragons. From what he'd said, he hadn't been able to shift since before the fight with Carlyle. That was why he hadn't been present the day it happened. Carlyle had taken his magic and locked away his dragon, and even though Penley wasn't a shifter, he could imagine how painful that could be. It was why Emory had been on his own for so long, but the mages had dragged him back because they needed help, and even though it had to hurt, he'd come.

It was good to see him talking to Bennett, and Penley hoped the two of them would become friends. He also hoped he'd be able to find a way to give Emory his dragon back, but so far, he hadn't found how to make that happen. He wasn't giving up, but it was taking longer than he'd expected.

"You're staring," Keylon teased from Penley's left.

Penley blinked at him. "I'm sorry?"

"He's yours. I wouldn't be able to look away from Alvin if he were here."

Penley felt his cheeks heat and looked down at his plate. "I wasn't staring at Bennett," he muttered.

"Sure looks like it."

"I was thinking about my work, nothing more."

There was a moment of silence, and Penley hoped Keylon would let it go. He should have known better.

"No one cares that you're staring at your shield. You have to realize that, right?" Keylon asked.

Penley resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I know that no one cares. I was just thinking."

Keylon didn't look convinced. "About Bennett?"

"No."

"You haven't been spending a lot of time with him. Are you two having a hard time figuring things out?"

Penley hesitated. He hadn't talked about what he was doing with anyone, but maybe he should. He was the one with the least experience when it came to his shield. All the other mages had known theirs for a long time, but Penley and Bennett had just started working together when they'd had to deal with Carlyle. Keylon didn't have his dragon back yet, but he had more experience than Penley.

"We haven't really talked yet," he admitted.

Keylon frowned. "Why not? Is he avoiding you? I guess it can be hard for the dragons since they have no memories."

"He's not avoiding me. I've been staying away."

"Why would you do that?"

Keylon sounded genuinely puzzled, which told Penley that maybe it wasn't the right decision. That didn't mean Penley wouldn't try to explain himself, but he wasn't sure what Keylon would think of his reasoning.

"I just felt it was a lot for him to deal with. He forgot who he was for decades, and now we tell him that he's supposed to protect me, even though he doesn't know me. He and Meyer had to move into the castle, even though they didn't know us. They have to get used to living with a bunch of people and everything else. It felt like too much to put on his shoulders."

That, and Penley had needed some space. He had no idea how to deal with Bennett. Bennett might be his shield, but he hadn't been for long before Carlyle separated them. Penley knew that eventually they'd find a way to make it work, and he still believed it, but he wasn't sure how they would. Bennett didn't remember him, but Penley could deal with that. The fact that Bennett didn't remember that he was a shield or how to be one was more complicated.

"I don't get it," Keylon said in a brusque tone. "You have your shield back. How can you not want to be with him? Do you know what I'd give to have Alvin with me right now?"

Penley winced. "I know," he reassured Keylon.

"Are you sure? Because it doesn't look like it. Instead of spending time with your dragon and getting to know him, you're avoiding him. It's almost like you don't want him, and it's not fair. I want Alvin back. At the very least, I want to know he's all right. You have that, yet you're wasting it."

Each word coming out of Keylon's mouth hurt more than the one before it. Penley wanted to apologize, but while he understood why Keylon felt like this and why he was angry, he didn't think Keylon could understand his point of view.

Penley and Bennett had barely known each other before. When Penley had lost Bennett, it had been a heavy blow, but not as heavy as it could have been. It certainly hadn't hurt as much as it had for Jarvis, who'd been with Marlow for decades when Marlow was taken from him. All of them had been hurt, but it hadn't been the same way, and Penley wasn't sure Keylon understood that. Right now, he was focused on his dragon and finding him. Penley didn't want to fight with Keylon or any of his brothers. He wanted them to find their dragons, and maybe it was a waste that he'd found his before Keylon.

Penley looked at Bennett, who was laughing at something Emory had said. They needed to take this at their own pace, no matter what the others thought. The problem was that their pace seemed to be completely frozen right now. They weren't moving forward because Penley was avoiding it.

He wasn't sure what he was afraid of. Would Bennett decide he wanted another mage? No matter how hard Penley tried or how much work he put into his magic, there was no denying that it wasn't as useful as the magic the other mages could do. Ansley had his seeking spells, while Jarvis had his portals. What did Penley have? He could manipulate earth magic, but that was it. He could make plants grow.

Maybe Bennett would decide it wasn't good enough for him. Penley wouldn't blame him, but he hoped it wouldn't be like that. The only way for him to be sure would be to talk to Bennett, but the thought was enough to make him panic.

Maybe he'd give both of them a little more time before he tried that.