Chapter Thirteen
KILLIAN FOUGHT THE urge to wrap his hands around Hokda’s neck and squeeze until the healer’s head popped. It was only due to his impeccable self control that he was able to gallantly keep his hands at his sides.
The healer stared at him in utter disbelief, “What the fuck did you just say?”
Killian opened his mouth to repeat himself when Hokda rudely cut him off with a hand in his face. He snapped his teeth at the healer.
Hokda said, “This is your one and only chance to say ‘Oops, never mind’ and turn around, Killian. Don’t squander it. I’m being generous.”
After a frosty breakfast—Kade brooding and sulky after their unexpected meeting with Fyar—they had set off to find Hokda. He wasn’t in the infirmary, so they had knocked at the healer’s private quarters. Just a down the hall from Killian.
Hokda had answered, bleary eyed and confused, still in his healer's robes though they were sleep rumpled and stained with small splatters of red. Killian really hoped that it wasn't blood. The healer had clearly had a long night.
As soon as he’d seen that it was Killian, Hokda had shut his eyes and banged his head into the door a couple of times, cursing. He’d then squinted at them, and forced them to state their business while standing outside in the hallway like idiots.
They should have waited for another day.
Kade stepped forward. “Sir—”
Hokda stuck a finger in Kade’s face without even looking at him. “Don’t speak. I have even less to say to the likes of you.”
Kade withered.
“Could you be reasonable for once in your fucking life?” Killian shot, his temper flaring. “Kade is an amazing candidate. There’s no reason not to consider—”
“No reason except that I already chose my apprentices. Six months ago. Each and every one of them earning their spot fairly.” Hokda sent Kade a pointed glare. “He’s welcome to try again next time. Not that I’d want him then, either, after this stunt.”
“His magic—”
“Is not the issue. He could have all the magic in the fucking world and I still wouldn’t want him.
And if you can’t see why, then you’re stupider than I thought you were, Captain.
I have no use for an apprentice who runs to daddy to fight his battles for him whenever he has a problem in the real world. ”
Kade squawked.
“I’m not his daddy,” said Killian petulantly.
Kade pushed to the front. “Sir. I’ll take your test. I’ll take five of your tests. I know I can pass. I wasn’t able to attend your interviews six months ago. I-I was going through a family emergency.”
“Oh. Really?” Hokda’s face transformed. He smacked himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand. “I’m so sorry. I should have realized you had a family emergency. Why didn’t you say so? That changes everything! Who am I to question you and your family emergency?”
Killian clenched his jaw so hard he thought his teeth would crack under the pressure.
“No,” Hokda barked. “That’s my final answer. And if you ask me again, I’ll get you blacklisted from every master healer in Ingara.” And with that, he slammed the door in their faces.
The first words out of Killian’s mouth should have been ones of comfort, he knew that. Truly. Instead, he found himself slowly turning to Kade. “I told you.”
Kade gaped at him.
“I hate him,” proclaimed Killian. “I hate him so much. I wish I could just punch his stupid, smug little face in. Just once. Once is all I’m asking for. I’d be content with once.”
Kade laughed as he walked next to Killian. “I think I like him.”
There was no way. “What?”
“I don’t know. He feels real. More real than the king at least.”
They hadn’t talked about it, their run in with Fyar. Neither of them wanting to breach the subject and risk a fight.
Kade had been right when he said that Killian would have been against him coming to Ingara. He would have told Kade to stay safe on the farm in Turell. His life may be boring there, but it was the lesser of two evils.
Killian had never wanted palace life for Kade.
It wasn’t anything to wish for. While prestigious and luxurious, it was a life with no privacy or rest, always putting other’s lives above your own.
The reward of money or power made it worth it for some, but for others it was a hollow life.
Empty and cold. He didn’t want this world to dim Kade’s light. He didn’t want Kade to become hollow.
It was almost a relief that Hokda had said no. Kade could find a master in the city, an honest and respectable teacher who would nurture Kade’s talent. Close, but still separate from it all.
“You have strange taste,” said Killian simply.
Kade laughed, a shy flush rising on his cheeks when he stole a glance at Killian. “Yeah. I suppose I do.”
They were walking the length of the palace.
Killian guiding them through the most deserted areas, wanting to distract Kade from the blow he received that morning.
Through the inner balconies overlooking the tiled mosaics of exotic creatures of legend, sneaking through Hokda’s greenhouses—not lingering long just in case the healer or his minions popped up somewhere—and then back around the eastern side of the palace by the stables and pastures.
The labyrinth groaned ominously in the distance.
“What is it?” Kade breathed, not able to take his eyes off it.
“A protector.” Killian wiggled his fingers at Kade. “A guardian spirit.”
“What’s it protecting?”
“The heart of Netyere.”
“The heart of Netyere,” Kade repeated flatly. He rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. “What is it really?”
Killian only smiled.
The Guard’s Keep in the center of the palace cut the bridged section between the two courtyards of the palace in half.
It belonged entirely to the Guard and was forbidden to any other palace staff.
The lower levels, filled with tables and chairs was where the Guard landed to rest in between patrols and while on break.
It was where they ate and talked and forged bonds to last lifetimes.
Killian’s office sat at the top of the tower, overlooking it all.
There were a few documents Loran had called Killian to sign off on before the day ended.
Then, he could take the night to begin compiling a list of different—better—masters for Kade to apprentice under.
There were already a few he had in mind, healers that Hokda occasionally called upon when he wanted to discuss a treatment plan or an experiment, healers considered to be his peers.
The Keep went dead silent when the two of them walked in.
Every head in the room turned at the same time, and like the bunch of gossips they were, Killian’s subordinates stared openly, wanting to catch a glimpse of their captain’s elusive, so-called brother.
Blinking owlishly at them, the guards grinned.
There weren’t even a dozen guards in the Keep, most were on duty or already on the training grounds, waiting for Loran to run their drills. The rest, sitting here, were the stragglers. They would leave when Loran left, and not a minute before.
Killian was thankful that they were at least attempting to stay calm. He didn’t want them to spook Kade.
Kade gave an embarrassed dip of his head in when Killian cut his losses and introduced him, flushed all the way to the tips of his ears.
The Guard nodded their greeting. A few brave souls stepped forward, introducing themselves and making light conversation. They soon had Kade laughing along with them.
Smiling at the scene before him, Killian stepped away, comfortable leaving Kade in the welcoming arms of his men.
“He looks nothing like you,” Loran stated, appearing at Killian’s shoulder and handing over the documents he’d brought down from his office.
“We don’t share blood. We have different parents.”
Loran made a small noise of surprise.
Killian bent over a nearby table in the corner, away from the commotion, and skimmed through what Loran delivered.
Dotting his i’s and crossing his t’s. He trusted his men to be able to read Kade enough to know when to back off.
Though he had to admit, he liked that they seemed to be getting along. He was getting soft.
Only when Killian had finished with the reports, and joined Loran where he leaned against the table, arms crossed over his chest, did the lieutenant ask in a low voice, “Why did you never tell me you had a brother?”
Killian had been expecting the question.
“It wasn’t a secret,” said Killian. “It just never came up. You never asked.”
“I never knew to ask.”
“You think you’re entitled to my life story?”
“Am I not?” Loran challenged. “We may not be true lovers, Killian, but I thought we were friends at least.”
“We are.”
“Then why didn’t I know? Why don’t I know anything about you?”
“That’s not true. You know me. Just because you don’t know what my life was like before, doesn’t mean you don’t know me now.
It’s—” Killian searched for the words. He didn’t like the open hurt that shone in Loran’s eyes.
He bumped their shoulders together and leaned close.
“It wasn’t pretty. I don’t like to think about it. I don’t like to talk about it.”
“It was that bad?”
“Yes. It—”
Their bubble of conversation burst as the others began to shuffle out of the keep, the time for lingering ran out.
Kade stood where Killian had left him. There was a storm brewing on his face. He glared, his eyes pinging back and forth between Killian and Loran, angry and assessing.
“We’ll finish this later,” promised Killian. “But know it’s not a lack of trust. It was never a lack of trust.”
Loran pursed his lips. Nodded, and then he too was gone.
Kade’s face seemed to scrunch more and more, as if he were sucking on a lemon.
Confused at the sudden shift in Kade’s mood, Killian rocked back on his heels. “We can try the city now. I’m sure we’ll find you a master in no time.”
Strangely, that was the wrong thing to say.
Kade sniffed haughtily and turned away. Then, he declared, “I need an audience with the king. Today.”