Freed from Gravity (Bound and Freed #2)

Chapter 42

Forty-Two

SENAN

When I try to stand, my legs refuse to hold my weight. How long have I been out? My skin still glows, so it mustn’t have been very long. Why is my thigh so fucking sore? Why are my trousers ripped? When did I cut myself? Gods, that gash looks bad.

Why does it look like Kyffin is standing on the other side of these iron bars?

The mirage leaps back with a squeak like a tiny mouse. I saw a mouse in the burrows once. Scared the shite out of me at first, but its fuzzy little face and twitchy whiskers were kind of cute.

“Kyff? Is that really you?”

He inches closer, so close I can see my drawn face reflected in his blown-out pupils, the silver in his eyes no more than a thin ring.

He’s really here.

And I need his help.

Help with what, though? I shake my head to try to clear some of the fog, but it only sets the room spinning. “The door. I need you to open the door.”

Kyff glances up at the door, then back to me, his small brow creasing. “I can’t.”

Of course, he can’t because the thing is locked. “There’s a key in the…” In the what? Dammit . Why can’t I remember the word? “Behind you.” His head swings toward the… “Desk!” That’s the one I’m looking for.

My baby brother shifts back, his hand falling to the pommel of the bejeweled blade Boris gifted him for mastering his element.

Why does he look so afraid of me? Does he think I’m going to hurt him? “I won’t hurt you.” I would never hurt Kyff.

Kyff’s eyes narrow as he takes the smallest step away. “You lie.”

“No… No, I don’t.”

His knuckles turn white where he grips his dagger. “Yes, you do. You said you’d never leave me, but you did. You left and someone took me.”

Someone took him? Wait. That sounds familiar.

Nimbiss .

So much for him not realizing he was being held hostage. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“You should be. It’s your fault. They said you stole their princess.”

“I didn’t steal anyone.” Except Windell, but that was only because I didn’t have any other choice. Gods, do I hate that sniveling weasel.

A lock of Kyff’s onyx hair falls across his furrowed brow when he shakes his head. “That’s not what Boris told me.”

Don’t even get me started on our fucking king. “You shouldn’t trust Boris.”

“Why not? He’s the one who saved me. Who brought me back. Who helped me when you left!” Kyff shouts, his small face painted red with anger.

All right. No bad-mouthing the king in front of Kyffin. Noted.

I inch closer to the bars, my heart breaking when I see my baby brother take yet another step away from me. “I’m sorry I left. Sorrier than you will ever know. But I’m here now, aren’t I? Stay with me. We can talk about what happened, if you think that will help?”

If I can find a way to rebuild the trust I broke, then he’ll see the truth.

Kyff drags his sleeve under his nose, his eyes red-rimmed. “It won’t help. You got married and didn’t invite me.”

“Only because there wasn’t time. I wanted you there, Kyff. I swear I did.”

He glances away. “I missed you so much.” Quieter, he mumbles, “I didn’t know he lied until it was too late.”

“Who lied?”

“The really grumpy man with a big belly and tiny eyes.”

Minister Donnell.

“With you and Rhainn gone, there was no one left to play with,” he says. “Even the guards were too busy to train with me. When the man asked if I wanted to visit you in your new kingdom, I was so excited.”

Here I thought I couldn’t feel worse.

Kyff only went with Donnell because he thought he was coming to see me.

“I packed my sword and jam and everything,” he goes on, his tone brightening for a moment. “They let me fly on a Pegasus with one of the guards too. His name was Titan, and he had black and white wings.”

“That sounds like quite the adventure.” Kyff always wanted his own Pegasus.

“It was. And when we got to the castle, the king gave me a whole basket of sweets.” A frown finds his mouth as he stares down at the floor, tracing the veins in the marble with his boot.

I can see where this story is headed. “You ate too many, didn’t you?” Kyff has an awful sweet tooth.

A nod. “My stomach hurt so badly, I thought I was going to puke in front of everyone. The queen told me I would feel better after a nap. She was nice but the room they gave me was too dark. I tried to be brave, to look for the stars like you told me to, but the sky was empty. I didn’t want to be alone, so I asked if you could stay with me, just for one night, until I was used to it, you know? The guards didn’t listen. I kept asking, but they wouldn’t even let me talk to you.”

Because I wasn’t fucking there .

“I’m so sorry, Kyff. I should’ve been here to protect you.”

“But you weren’t.” His lips flatten as a fat tear rolls down his round cheek. He wipes it away with a small fist. “They locked me in my room and wouldn’t let me out, not even when I screamed and cried.”

He must’ve been terrified. When I think of what would’ve happened to him if we hadn’t found the princess— “I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me.” Not that I’ll be around to see it.

“I won’t,” he says. “Not ever.” Kyffin turns and dashes out of the room, leaving me all alone.

The same way I left him.