Fifty-Five Isaiah

Veruka finished braiding Imogen’s hair and sighed. “How long are you going to keep her?” she asked, placing the braid across Imogen’s shoulder.

I chewed on the pad of my thumb. “I am not keeping her. I’m protecting her.”

“That’s not what the other soldiers say. They think you’ve made her into your own personal sex doll,” Veruka said, her hand on her hip and her tail thrashing behind her.

I snorted. “We both know that’s not what I like.”

Her mauve cheeks darkened with desire, but the memories of us together did nothing for me. Nothing did anymore.

“Well, if you’re not using her, I—”

“No.” I straightened and blew out a breath. “Don’t you have a shipment to help unload?”

She made a disgruntled noise but left nonetheless. I walked to Imogen and checked her face over once more. No blood speckled her cheeks, and her hair was tidy, yet I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to touch her. I cursed myself and dropped my hand.

“Sorry about the whole . . .” I made an explosion noise, mimicking it with my hands. “I thought they would surrender, to be honest. The rebels have grown braver.”

She said nothing, her gaze focusing through me. I wondered if it had scared her to see their heads blow off their bodies, knowing I did it without even so much as moving a muscle. My gut rolled at the thought of her fearing me, but I didn’t understand why it made me uneasy.

“I’d never hurt you. You know that, right?”

No response. There was never a response.

A knock came from the door, and I turned as Kaden entered. He wasn’t wearing his armor, just a loose-fitting shirt and matching dark pants.

“You look comfortable,” I said.

He shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets. “Not on sister duty today. You?”

I smiled. “Just got back.”

Kaden glanced behind himself before lifting his hands, the door clicking closed behind him. His eyes darted toward Imogen.

“She can’t repeat anything you are about to say, remember? You brainwashed them all.”

He watched me as I strode toward my bureau. I reached for the buckle on my shoulder and opened it, my armored chest plate falling to the ground.

“You seem upset about that. Growing comfortable with the celestial, brother?”

I rummaged around for a shirt. “Why does everyone think I would fuck someone who wouldn’t enjoy it?”

Kaden snorted. “I never insinuated that. I’ve just noticed you seem to have an attachment.”

“I turned the ones who tried to touch her without her permission into a soup worse than the one Frigg thinks he cooks so well.”

Kaden chuckled and sat on my bed. “My point exactly. Attachment.”

I didn’t rebuke his claim. I had no idea why, but from the moment I’d first laid eyes on Imogen, she was all I thought about. It was becoming a problem. Even when I closed my eyes at night, she was all I dreamed of. An attachment was an understatement.

I had been looking for a way to reverse what my brother did and free her. There had to be a way. I took Imogen with me on every assignment Mera sent me on, and when I found a shaman or a healer, I would take her to see them. They all said that there was no cure. Usually, my temper would rise in response, and they lost their heads afterward. But at least I was trying.

“Is that why you’ve come? To give me a hard time?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

Kaden shook his head. “No, that’s not why I’m here.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Remember when we were younger? We made a pact to keep what we knew of each other and our powers between us.”

I nodded. “Yeah, is this another one of those times? Is this about Nismera’s witch? You know I never judge. If you say you love Dianna, I believe it. But I know better than anyone that sometimes, especially in this world, you have to blow off some steam.”

Kaden forced a smile as he stood, clasping his hands behind his back. It had been so long since I had been around him that I had forgotten how much power he contained beneath his skin.

“It’s not about her. It’s about you.”

I folded my arms and frowned. “Me? Why?”

“Why does Nismera have your blood?”

My brows furrowed. “My blood?” Then it hit me. “Oh yes, she asked, and I gave. I didn’t question it, to be honest.”

Kaden’s head tilted as I strode by, heading toward the bathroom. “At all?”

I shrugged. “Why? It’s Mera. The only one who gave a shit about us when Unir locked us away. The only one who rescued us and gave a damn when the world didn’t. If she asked for my liver, I’d give it. No questions. Wouldn’t you?”

Something passed through Kaden’s eyes, and he glanced away. I gripped his shoulder. “Just like I would you. You’re still my favorite sibling.”

Kaden smiled even if it bared no teeth. “As you are mine.”

“Why the questions? Also, how did you even find out about that?”

Kaden took a step back. “You should clean up. Nismera is happy she got a few of her relics and Otherworld creatures, even if she didn’t get the murrak. I think she wants a dinner set tonight.”

“Are you okay?”

Kaden said nothing as he turned and headed for the door.

“Hey,” I called out, and he stopped, his hand hovering over the knob. “You mean the world to me, Kaden. You never gave up on me, even when you were locked behind the realms. Nismera told me how often she spoke to you when I couldn’t and how desperate you were to get back to me. You’ve always cared for and protected me, and I love you, but it’s Mera, Kaden, not another monster.”

He glanced at me over his shoulder and gave me another forced smile before he left the room, the door clicking closed behind him.