Chapter 30
Chapter
Thirty
Voices filtered through the haze of sleep. Caelen kept his breathing steady, hovering in that space between waking and dreams.
"You need to eat something." Jamie's voice. "And you definitely need a shower."
"I'm fine." Daniel's weight shifted against Caelen's side. "I'll do all that when he's up again."
"That might be hours, and you stink, little brother."
"No, I don't." Daniel sighed. "Okay, maybe I do. I just don't want to leave the room."
Silence stretched. Caelen almost drifted off again before Jamie spoke.
"You really fell for the bastard, didn't you?"
"Yeah." Daniel made it sound so simple. "I know what you're going to say…"
"No," Jamie disagreed. "No point in my saying anything. You get stupid in love. I just hope he's worth it."
"He is."
Silence again. Caelen couldn't see Jamie's face without opening his eyes and giving himself away, but he was sure the man was not convinced.
After a moment, Jamie spoke up. "I don't care what you say, he's still an asshole and if he hurts you again, I'm kicking his ass."
Caelen almost laughed at that. How strange that he could find this amusing instead of deeply insulting. Usually, he would have wanted to make Jamie bleed for such a remark.
Usually…
"It'll be fine," Daniel assured his brother once more. "And I'll have something to eat if you bring me something. Bring something for Caelen too. Maybe a sandwich?"
"I'm not going to make sandwiches for him," Jamie grumbled.
"But for me?"
A groan, then footsteps retreated from the room. The door opened and closed.
Daniel's lips pressed against Caelen's temple.
"I know you're awake," he whispered.
"How did you know?"
"Your breathing changed." Daniel's thumb stroked along Caelen's collarbone. "I've sat with you for days. I can tell."
"Mh." Caelen opened his eyes to look at Daniel. "Your brother's right, you know."
"What, do you also think I smell?" Daniel sniffed his own pits and made a face.
"Oh, we likely both need to wash up, but I meant the things he said about me. I'm not suddenly going to be a better person."
"Good." Daniel kissed his cheek. "I didn't fall in love with a better person. I fell in love with you."
Caelen reached for Daniel and curled his fingers in his hair. How lucky was he? "A better person might let you go."
Daniel met his gaze. "Then I'm very glad that's not you."
Caelen drew Daniel closer, seeking his lips. The kiss deepened, slow and tender.
They got lost in each other until footsteps approached the room again.
The door opened and Jamie walked in. "I bring sustenance."
Daniel broke away with a smile. "Perfect timing. I'm starving."
Jamie set down a plate stacked with egg sandwiches. The smell hit Caelen's nose, and he couldn't stop his face from scrunching.
"Something wrong with my sandwiches?" Jamie crossed his arms.
"No, they are…" The lie caught in Caelen's throat, refused to emerge. He tried again. "These look…" Another failed attempt.
Daniel tilted his head. "What's wrong?"
"I can't lie." Caelen stared at the sandwich, bewildered. "I hate eggs, and I can't pretend otherwise."
"Wow," Jamie said. "You're just a rude piece of shit, aren't you?"
"Jamie!" Daniel admonished his brother, but Caelen couldn't fault Jamie for being pissed. Caelen was being rude. The problem was, he couldn't help it.
It had been so long since he'd had to put effort into concealing his thoughts.
So long since he hadn't been able to tell a simple lie.
Jamie picked the plate back up. "You know what? You can make your own damn food." He stalked out of the room before Daniel could stop him.
Caelen looked after him, then at his mate. "I'm sorry about that."
Daniel ran a hand through his hair. "He's been through a lot too. Jamie, I mean. His store disappeared, and that's like… everything that ever mattered to him."
"Not everything," Caelen corrected. "He obviously cares a lot about you."
"You know what I mean. Be nicer to my brother, please." Daniel fixed Caelen in his gaze. "He's super important to me."
"I can see that, and I didn't mean to be rude." Caelen glanced at the bedside table where the plate of sandwiches had sat and offended him a moment ago. "Do you know why the majority of fae folk hate half-breeds like me?"
"Because you're rude?" Daniel suggested.
Caelen laughed. "No, not quite. It's because real fae can't lie, while some of us can. It makes us untrustworthy." He shook his head slightly to shake away memories of the past and how this unfair prejudice had followed him around. "I never could lie. Not before I had Morthul's help. When I think about it now, it's odd how quickly the process became natural." He trailed off. He was going to have to learn how to be careful with his words all over again.
But did this also mean that his soul was no longer corrupted?
He hadn't thought that possible.
"No lies, huh?" Daniel's question brought him back to the present.
He studied his beautiful mate who'd freed him from the dark god he'd promised himself to. "Are you going to take advantage?"
"For sure." Daniel smiled and pushed off the bed. "But first, I'm going to explain to my brother and get some other food sorted."
Caelen caught his wrist. "Get us something simple to eat first, then shower." His thumb traced circles on Daniel's skin. "After that, I need to talk to Jamie. And everyone else." He grimaced, thinking of the incubus he still despised… and that he would have to apologize to him. "It's long overdue."
"You sure you're up for that?"
"No." Caelen's lips quirked. "But it has to be done."
The kitchen smelled like coffee. Caelen found Jamie sitting at the counter, holding a large mug of it. His shoulders tensed at Caelen's approach.
"May I speak with you?" Caelen met Jamie's hostile gaze.
Jamie's jaw worked. "About the egg sandwiches?"
"About Daniel." Caelen pulled out a chair but remained standing, hands resting on its back. "And about your bookstore."
Jamie's eyes narrowed. "What do you have to say about my store?"
"I owe you an apology." If Caelen hadn't let Morthul run rampant, reality might not have disintegrated enough to swallow whole buildings.
"You think an apology brings back everything I worked for?"
"No. But the store might not be gone forever. When the barriers are properly restored…"
Jamie's face darkened. " If they're restored."
"When," Caelen insisted. "Places don't simply vanish. They get... displaced. Your store likely exists somewhere in Veridia now."
Jamie didn't seem convinced. "You really think so?"
"There's a chance." It was all Caelen could say without stretching the truth farther than it would go.
"Why would I believe you?" Jamie got up and came closer, stabbing a finger at Caelen. "I knew you were bad news from the moment Daniel first mentioned you. He may have forgiven you for kidnapping him, for hurting him, but I haven't."
Caelen swallowed thickly. "I haven't forgiven myself either. I will spend the rest of my life atoning for those sins."
"Pretty words."
"Truth." Caelen met Jamie's glare. "I can't lie anymore. The dark god took that ability with him when he left."
Jamie's brow furrowed. "Convenient."
"Ask me anything. Test it."
"Fine." Jamie thought for a moment. "Will you ever hurt my brother again?"
"I might." The admission burned Caelen's tongue. "Not intentionally, but I'm still learning how to be... better."
Jamie blinked, surprise flickering across his features.
"But I don't think anyone can convince your brother to leave me now." Caelen's lips curved in a slight smile. "And I love him enough to want to be better."
Jamie stared at him for a long moment. Then he shook his head. "You'd better be telling the truth right now."
"I am." Caelen held up a hand. "These things I promise. I will protect Daniel for as long as I live, and I will do everything I can to help you get your store back."
Jamie sank back into his chair. "You say all that… but how would we even start fixing the barriers?"
"I have some ideas." Caelen's grip tightened on the chair's back. "But I need to discuss them with everyone. There are things I should have told you all long ago."
"What are you hiding, Shadow King?"
Knox's voice cut through the kitchen. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, gray eyes narrowed. How long had he been there, listening in?
Caelen's spine stiffened. He would still much rather fight that incubus than share anything with him, but sometimes, love required sacrifices. "I'll tell you when everyone is here."
Jamie pushed back his chair. "I'll get the others."
Caelen stood before the gathered crowd in Malik's living room, his back straight, chin lifted. Daniel's shoulder brushed against his arm, a silent show of support against the distrustful gazes that rested on him.
Honestly, he couldn't blame anyone for distrusting him, but could they at least disguise their disgust a little?
This was utterly distasteful.
Malik, his recent victim, was the worst of all. Caelen was sure the man still hated having him here. In comparison, even the incubus and his human lover seemed to have less venom in their eyes.
Caelen brushed off their collective hatred and faced the group. "Not all the Barrier Keepers are dead," he started.
He let the words sink in.
One of the humans, Leon, spoke up. "Are you talking about Yuri?"
The others exchanged glances.
"Who's Yuri?" the siren asked.
Leon explained. "The Barrier Keeper who stopped Elysia from killing Daniel." His eyes fixed on Caelen. "During the ritual."
Caelen tried not to grimace as he remembered that godforsaken ritual during which he had almost lost Daniel… and that had ended with him yielding to Morthul.
"Oh," Adrian said. "The stranger who showed up then?"
"He acted against the other Barrier Keepers," Malik stated before focusing his gaze back on Caelen. "Why?"
Caelen wished he had the answer to that, but he didn't. "I can't say, but Yuri was the one who first brought me to this world."
The room grew so quiet, Caelen could hear the tick of the grandfather clock in the hall.
Adrian shot him a puzzled look. "What do you mean, brought you?"
"I didn't get here by accident like them." He gestured at Knox, Zev and Lyrian. "Yuri came to meet me in Veridia, told me I would find Knox here and opened a portal for me."
"He's lying." Zev pushed away from the wall. "Half-fae always lie."
"He can't lie anymore." Daniel stepped forward, color high in his cheeks. "Morthul took that ability with him."
"And we're just supposed to trust?—"
"Enough." Knox's voice cut through the brewing argument. "Let's hear what else the Shadow King has to say."
Caelen's fingers brushed Daniel's wrist, steadying himself. "The artifact I used to open more portals? Yuri gave it to me. I believe he wants the barriers to break."
"But why?" Lyrian rubbed his chin. "The Barrier Keepers are supposed to protect the barriers."
"I don't know why he's doing it." Caelen's jaw clenched. "We'll have to confront him to get that answer." He surveyed the room. "And maybe find a solution."
"Confront him…" Knox mused. "We would first have to figure out where he is hiding."
"I absorbed the other Barrier Keepers' power." Caelen's fingers tightened around Daniel's. "Not all of that magic has left me, and there is a connection. I could use it to?—"
The air thickened. Something tugged at Caelen's core, like a hook behind his ribs. The room wavered.
"Caelen?" Daniel steadied him.
A figure materialized in the center of the room, tall and elegant in flowing white robes. Yuri's eyes fixed on Caelen.
"The connection goes both ways, half-fae." Yuri's lips curved. "I've been watching you."
Knox shoved Adrian behind himself. Lyrian took a defensive stance. Zev melted into the shadows.
"I had wondered how long it would take you to figure it out." Yuri's starlight gaze swept the room, dismissing everyone but Caelen. "You've done me a great favor, but you've failed to finish the job."
"What favor?" Daniel tensed.
"Killing the other Barrier Keepers, of course." Yuri's robes rippled, though no wind stirred in the room. "Their rigid beliefs about maintaining the barriers... they could never see past it. But now their power flows through you." His eyes narrowed. "You should have put it to better use."
"Why do you want the barriers to break?" Caelen shifted, angling his body between Yuri and Daniel.
Yuri considered him with a thoughtful expression. "These two worlds were never meant to be separate. The barriers are an abomination that must be corrected."
"You're insane." Knox's voice carried a growl.
"I'm a visionary." Yuri's attention snapped to the incubus. "And you're not where I need you to be now."
"And you're not where I need you to be now."
The weirdest thing happened after he spoke. Magic like nothing Caelen had ever seen before. The air crystallized. Light fractured around them, sharp-edged rainbows cutting through the room. Caelen pressed Daniel against himself as the floor rippled like water.
"No—" Knox's voice stretched and warped into impossible frequencies.
The walls of Malik's mansion bent inward. Colors inverted, then shattered like breaking glass. Someone screamed—might have been Leon, might have been Adrian. The sound spiraled away into nothing.
Reality folded.
Then they were falling.