Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Eventually, they got up and dressed. Eli was due home soon, and Sebastian didn't think it would make the best impression if Eli found him and James lounging around naked.

They went downstairs to the compact kitchen at the back of the house. A good portion of the house's decor was dated, but not in the way things at Storm House were. Sebastian's family's manor had collected relics marking each of the eight decades since the place was built because the Storms never threw anything away. James's home seemed more like a family residence that he hadn't wanted to completely make his own. The decorative plates mounted on the kitchen wall didn't scream a James Gray aesthetic.

"They were my grandmother's," James explained in response to Sebastian's staring.

Sebastian leaned awkwardly against the counter, pulling the leather jacket close. "This was her house?"

"Yeah." James filled an electric kettle with water and flipped it on, then grabbed a couple of mugs and a box of tea bags. "She and Grandpa sold our parents' house. Eli and I both preferred living here after. It was easier than being home, so there was no real reason to keep it."

James meant after his parents died. There was no need to specify for clarity, but Sebastian wondered if avoiding saying it was born out of the grief James still felt. Sebastian's heart sank at the reminder. The last of his post-sex happiness was gone. It wasn't fair James had lost loving parents. Even if it was fourteen years ago, it wasn't the kind of experience that ever left you.

"Chamomile?" James asked, holding up a tea bag.

"Sure." Sebastian turned away and watched the kettle come to a boil. Now was the time to tell James what he'd been holding back. The longer he put it off, the worse it would be when he finally opened up.

"Do you think there's any risk in getting Eli and Parker to break the secret-binding spell so we can tell them what happened?" James poured the hot water as he spoke, his frown unrelenting and brow deeply furrowed.

"No." Sebastian was glad for the change in topic. He could tell James his secrets tomorrow. They had more pressing things to worry about tonight. "Breaking the binding trapped you, but we aren't at Storm House. I don't think the curse can consume anyone outside the property when the magic is tied to the land. I don't see how it could get to Eli or Parker from here, even if we break the binding and spill the secret."

"It makes sense for the curse's reach to have limits," James agreed before blowing on his tea. "You can't be trapped there if you're already outside the walls."

Sebastian picked up his warm mug. "We can tell them not to go onto the Storm House grounds in case the curse tries to grab them if they get too close. But worst-case scenario, we know how to free anyone who gets trapped."

"True." James sipped his tea. "But it's not like I expect to get trapped again if I walk back onto the property. I doubt the curse can grab anyone new if they're out of range when they learn the secret, even if they go to Storm House later."

Sebastian put down his mug with a thunk . "Why would you go back to Storm House?"

James gave him a confused look. "We'll have to at some point."

"Why?" Dread pooled in Sebastian's gut.

"We've got to feed the chickens," James said reasonably. "And we can't abandon Miss Moo. Plus, you probably want to get some clothes and things." James didn't remind him that they would have to address the curse and look for a more permanent solution to the imbalance. They'd have to go onto the property to achieve that.

Logically, Sebastian knew he had to go back. He knew he wouldn't be trapped again, not after the successful transfer. But returning to Storm House felt like certain doom.

James shifted closer to Sebastian until their shoulders touched. "I can feed the chickens for you."

"You shouldn't have to do favors for me," Sebastian muttered. He already felt guilty, and every kind thing James did for him made it worse.

James took Sebastian's hand. "If going back to Storm House is triggering for you, then it's a favor I insist on."

Fuck, James was going to kill Sebastian with all this unconditional kindness and support. It only made what Sebastian was hiding feel worse. He shouldn't accept. He needed to tell James what he knew about his parents' deaths. He never should have hidden what he'd learned, but that day in the sitting room, staring down at that old newspaper, Sebastian had wanted to protect James from the truth.

He'd wanted to protect himself too and had needed to get a handle on his feelings before opening himself up to James. Now, those excuses had worn thin. Nothing but fear and guilt held him back .

"Let's worry about the chickens in the morning." Sebastian pushed his other thoughts away.

Before James could answer, the front door opened, and Eli called out, "James?"

"In here," he called back.

A moment later, Parker and Eli joined them in the kitchen.

"I can't believe you came to the diner and didn't say hi." Parker crossed his arms. He was built like a brick wall, thicker than James and taller than Sebastian, who'd always found him intimidating.

"We didn't stay long," James explained, leaving it at that and not revealing the reason they'd left so abruptly. Sebastian's insides twisted, constricted by the pain of more undeserved kindness.

"Never mind not saying hi." Eli pushed in front of Parker with a dismissive wave, coming to stand in the middle of the small room. "What's been going on?"

"There's a reason I can't tell you." Exasperation laced James's words, then he clamped his mouth shut and turned to Sebastian, his eyes wide. Neither of them would have been able to say that before transferring the cruse.

"What's that look?" Eli pointed at his brother. "Why are you being weird?"

Sebastian considered how best to test the weakened secret-binding. "We can't tell you why we're being weird, but there is a reason. We just can't explain it. Why do you think that is?"

Eli glared. "Because you're hiding something."

"Or?" Sebastian waved his hand encouragingly, making a significant face that relied heavily on eyebrow motion.

Eli scrunched his nose. "Or you're playing some sort of a game."

"This is serious," James scolded, bringing out his most severe frown. "None of us is playing games. "

"Well, excuse me," Eli sneered like he had reached the end of his patience. "I don't see why I have to guess the reason behind you suddenly having a different personality. You don't keep secrets, James. I have no idea why you'd be like this."

Sebastian leaned closer to James. They had to try something else. "Please tell me you have the books."

"I think so. Otherwise, I might go break into the library." James stalked out of the room.

Eli and Parker glared at Sebastian.

"What did you do to him?" Eli asked.

"Nothing." Sebastian's face went red with shame. "I just needed him to help me."

The comment confused Eli while Parker looked unmoved.

James returned carrying a pile of books. He began dropping them on the floor one by one. As he reached the second to last book, his movements became jerky, like he was fighting with himself. After a moment of struggle, he threw the book at Parker.

"The fuck?" Parker caught the book before it hit him in the face. He didn't look at it as he went to set it on the counter beside him.

"No!" James and Sebastian called out in unison, both of them lunging forward.

Parker froze. He looked sideways at Eli. The younger man grabbed the book from Parker's hand and began flipping through it.

After a few minutes, he looked up in horror. "No way. It can't— Your tongues are bound?"

James dropped the remaining book to the floor and smiled.

Sebastian reached out and patted Eli's shoulder. "See, when James asked me that, I kissed him because I was so happy. Don't think I'll make that offer this time though."

Eli shook his head, maybe trying to dislodge thoughts of his brother kissing. He set the book aside. "So that's the reason you can't explain? "

Sebastian and James couldn't confirm verbally, but Sebastian did his best to look agreeable.

There was a flurry of questions from Eli, most of which received no answers. In the end, Parker looked up an unbinding spell in one of Eli's old magical theory books and wasted no time performing the ritual on James and Sebastian. Parker had a strong enough magical ability to do the spell without linking to anyone. After moving to the living room and shifting the coffee table out of the way, the spell went quickly, the magic binding James and Sebastian to secrecy no longer strong enough to force them to flee as it had done to Sebastian.

He tried not to think too hard about that night in the ballroom. He didn't need to be fantasizing about James and those handcuffs with others in the room. It really had been way too much fun for such serious magic.

James wiped the blood from his and Sebastian's bodies after the spell was done and told his brother and Parker everything. Eli looked more horrified the longer the explanation went on. Parker just looked pissed off.

"Oh my god, James." Eli flung himself at his brother and hugged him.

Sebastian had the uncomfortable sensation of watching from the outside, knowing he'd never be let in. He'd never have a family bond like the Gray brothers. His own mother had sacrificed him to save her firstborn, and his sister had always been unconcerned with the vast difference in how the two of them were treated.

Eli released James and turned to Sebastian. Before Sebastian knew what was happening, Eli was wrapped around him, squeezing the air out of him. "I can't believe you were stuck out there all this time." He gave Sebastian one final squeeze and stepped back like he was reluctant to let go.

"Oh." Sebastian had no idea how to respond.

Eli's eyes shone with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry. "

"Why? You didn't trap me?"

"No," Parker cut in, putting an arm around Eli. "But we never questioned you being out there. I knew your uncle used to get stuff delivered from the diner and never came into town. I should have thought it was unusual that you were exactly the same. I should have questioned it."

Sebastian squirmed. He shot a helpless look at James, not knowing what to say. He knew most people in Moonlight Falls wrote him off as a loner. He'd been angsty as a kid and had acted out to get attention. It was typical behavior, given he'd experienced a lot of neglect growing up. But people didn't necessarily know that. They'd never liked him, and his childhood antics had obviously fed into the belief he was someone who'd shut himself away.

He didn't know how to take Parker's apology. There was nothing to apologize for. Even the few people who'd known what had been behind his childhood behavior hadn't seen past the curse.

"The secret was more tightly bound before now," he explained. "Even if you'd questioned me, asked why I didn't come into town, or asked why my uncle was the same, I would have lied. James asked, and I acted exactly like a recluse would and pushed him away. There was no way anyone would have been able to guess I didn't want to be at Storm House when I was forced to say I wanted to be there."

"But James did guess," Parker pointed out.

Even though Parker didn't know it, his words were a painful reminder of how much of a miracle it was that James had figured any of this out. Sebastian couldn't stop from reaching for James, who reflexively pulled him close.

Sebastian was positive no one but James would have figured out what was happening at Storm House. No one cared like James. Nobody else would have looked past Sebastian's confusing— secret-binding induced—behavior and been patient with him or tried to understand him.

Without James, Sebastian would have nothing. He owned him more than he could ever repay, but he needed to start trying.