6. I Don’t Share
~ VOSKI ~
The trapdoor dropped into place again, but not before Gil’s deep chuckle rang in the room.
I swore and rushed to Grace who was scrambling to keep herself covered, and blushing beet red.
“I’m sorry. He hardly comes out here anymore!” I said, pulling another quilt up and over her. “I’ll make him go.”
She stared at me, but nodded quickly, then licked her lips. “That’s probably wise,” she said breathlessly. But there were tears in her eyes.
God, I was going to kill him.
I swallowed hard and cupped a hand to her face. “I didn’t tell him to come, Grace.”
“I know. I believe you.”
“Thank you.” I leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, growling that there was any interruption to this precious time with her, before jerking on my trousers and boots, not lacing, or buttoning anything, then yanking the trapdoor up and climbing through.
“Latch it behind me,” I ordered Grace. “No one can see in from outside. Don’t worry.”
Then I slipped down the branch and let myself drop to the ground, whirling to find Gil laughing his ass off.
“I can’t believe you didn’t lock it!” he spluttered. “Rookie mistake, Vos.”
“Get out,” I muttered, storming toward him. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“No chance. Not until you’ve explained how the hell you ended up naked with the Princess—”
I didn’t think. Didn’t even feel. My hand shot out to clamp at his throat, and I shoved him up against the tree trunk, pinning him there. He gasped and choked, grimacing, prying at my fingers.
I leaned in until we were nose to nose. “Get. The fuck. Away.”
Even in the early dark, Gil’s eyes glittered, and I thought he might fight me.
Fucking try me.
His face slowly reddened as I didn’t back down. But a moment later, he took his hands off of mine and lifted them above his shoulders in a gesture of surrender.
I glared at him for another breath, then pushed off, releasing his throat.
He choked a little, pitching forward to brace his hands on his knees as he sucked deep, heaving breaths.
Furious and trembling, I reached for Kham through the link ‘Why didn’t you tell me he was coming?’
‘You were no longer mating. And he isn’t a threat.’
‘You said you would guard against interruptions!’
‘I said we wouldn’t interrupt you…’
I would have gaped at him. But I had a brother to murder.
I stood over Gil. “This isn’t a joke. Go. Now. I’ll explain later. Just get the fuck out of here. Say nothing. And don’t come back.”
I turned away, about to reach for the branches and climb back up, when he croaked from behind me.
“I came because I was worried you might be losing your mind. Clearly, I’m too late.”
I turned on him again, but he was ready for me this time and his chin dropped. Despite his reddened eyes and continued rasping, I knew it wouldn’t be so easy if I laid another hand on him.
“Leave.”
“You’re sleeping with her? What are you thinking!?”
“She’s my mate!” I hissed. “I’ve been resisting. I can’t do it anymore, and neither can she, so you can just fuck right off and—”
Gil’s brows shot up and he whistled. “I knew it,” he croaked. “I fucking knew it. Holy shit, Vos. Holy shit!”
It was still raining, though lightly. Gil and I sat side-by-side, our backs to the trunk of a massive, broadleaf tree with branches so heavy with leaves that the ground under it remained dusty-dry all year round. It was two trees away from the treehouse, so Grace wouldn’t hear what we said.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Gil said, his voice still a little hoarse. “It’s hilarious. But, I’m worried about you, bro. How the hell did you wait through a dragon’s heat?”
Now that I’d tasted her, had her, could remember the feeling of her… God, even thinking about those days turned my stomach. “I don’t know. But, I can’t leave her alone anymore. I won’t.”
Gil rubbed a hand over his face, his brows still high with shock. “I mean, I guessed, but I didn’t really believe it. You know what I mean?”
I nodded, because I did. It still seemed unreal.
Gil looked at his hands, dangling as he rested his elbows on his bent-up knees. “What does Grace think about being mated to you?”
I grimaced. “She’s happy—at least, that’s what she says. I don’t know. I haven’t handled the situation well.”
“Shocking.”
“Shut up, Gil.”
Of course, he continued. “No, really, Vos. I am astounded. I cannot fathom you navigating such a delicate situation without ease and grace.” He cut off, snorting. “Grace.”
“You made your point,” I muttered.
But he wouldn’t let it go. “Make sure you remember what’s important here.”
I frowned at the dirt, but I nodded. “I won’t forget.”
“No, you won’t. I won’t let you.”
I shot him a look. “Trust me, I don’t need reminding to watch out for her—that’s the easy part.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. Now that I’m not fighting it, it’s making me miserable to be this far away from her and talking to you.”
Gil snorted again. “Good. Then go do whatever it is you need to do to make things right with her. If anyone shows up to cause problems, you take care of it. If you need help hiding the body, have Kham tell Runar. I’ll find a reason to investigate.”
I chuckled, but Gil didn’t.
“Oh, now you’re serious?”
His jaw was tight. “I never joke when it’s life and death.”
“You joke about everything,” I insisted. He smiled in the way that made my skin crawl. “How you manage to make women like you is beyond me. You’re creepy as fuck.”
“And yet, you call me brother. What does that say about you?”
“That it’s time to find a new best friend.”
“You say that like you have choices.” Gil reached over to grab the back of my neck, gripping it a little too tightly. “You and I both know you’ve pissed everyone else off far too much to go looking for new friends now.”
I winced. “I know I’ve been on edge, but… How bad is it?”
Gil huffed. “Ronen thinks something happened in Fyrehold that’s making you lose your shit. Donavyn is convinced you’ve severed a matebond—the only thing that made him question was that the dragons seemed to be thriving. So, he wasn’t sure.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried to get you to talk about it and you swore nothing happened.” A thread of anger entered his tone. His eyes glittered.
“I’m sorry,” I said genuinely. “If it’s any help, I wasn’t even able to admit it to myself. I was hardly going to bare it to you so you could tell everyone. But, if you were so sure, why didn’t you ask again?”
“Because, I’ve never had a matebond. I didn’t know. Plus, you’ve been pretty tense, bro. I wanted to live through the night.”
I snorted. “You’re a good friend, Gil.”
“Apparently not. Apparently I have aided and abetted a man who was denying Grace fucking Barnslow—you understand that she’s a real noble? Her parents aren’t just wealthy, they have an old name. Bloodline, ancestry, all that bullshit.”
Fear skated up my spine. “Trust me, I’m aware—but how do you know the difference?”
“Emily in Fyrehold told me. Even if the Courtiers didn’t like her, no one denied her position.”
I sighed, staring at the dirt again, feeling that creeping dread sicken my stomach once more.
But then Gil started chuckling. “Oh shit. You got a noble.” When I shot him an angry look, he only laughed harder.
“Keep your mouth shut,” I muttered, looking around, though I would have sensed if anyone was close.
Gil stopped laughing and frowned. “You think you have to tell me that? I’m not the problem here. The problem is the others. Harle’s got a flapping tongue and—”
“What does Harle have to do with this?”
Gil’s jaw dropped and he gestured toward the treehouse. “Wake up, Vos. She’s your mate. And a Flameborne. Do you remember what Bren and Donavyn went through? How hard it was for them?”
“I’m aware,” I said dryly.
“So, you’re going to need back up, just like he did.” He leaned in, eyes darting past me to search the dark meadow, as if we might be overheard. “More so, actually, because you don’t have an apartment, and you can’t order others around to cover for yourself. We’ll have to help you—”
“I am not telling the brothers this. Not yet.”
“What?! You’re insane! Who else will help—”
“Not yet. I know them. They’ll needle me until I fucking snap.”
“Needle you? There’s no doubt you’ll snap, but it won’t be because of them. You’re going to get caught taking her against a stable wall or something—”
“I will not be taking my mate against a stable wall!” I snapped.
Gil scoffed. “How much do you want to bet?”
“I would bet any fucking amount, it’s not going to happen—”
“Gold coin it is. Now, what twisted part of your brain thinks you can take her back to the Keep, where she’s surrounded by men, and not end up killing someone? Because you wanted to kill me and all I did was accidentally look at her.”
My skin was starting to itch. My muscles tensing. “Look, give me some time to get my shit together. She’s agreed not to tell the brothers right away.”
“Oh no. Nuh uh. I am not letting you set a trap for every Furyknight who so much as smiles in her direction.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I’ve endured worse already. And I’m not setting a trap. I’m avoiding that.”
“Bullshit. I know you. You’re a cold bastard until something gets under your skin, and festers.
You’re going to end up stabbing some dumb fuck who slaps her ass in the dining hall or something stupid.
The rules are being loosened, Vos. The queen wants more women around.
They’ll all be more relaxed with her than they were with Bren. ”
An image of precisely that—Grace, walking away from the table at the dining hall in her leather glory, and some idiot laying a hand on her hip as she passed and pulling her close and—shit.
“See?!” Gil hissed.
I turned to tell him I could handle it—that they’d be worse if they knew. But our eyes caught and he shook his head.
“Vos, come on. You know how this ends.”
I did. It’s exactly what I was afraid of. But Gil didn’t k now my past. Not fully. He thought I was just quick to draw my blade.
I tore my attention away from him, to the dirt between my feet, shaking my head, my whole body recoiling at the idea of putting this out there where any dumb idiot could decide to voice an opinion. Or worse, tell Grace whatever stupid thing occurred to him.
The whole fucking world was spinning out of control, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop it.
I wanted to curse. I wanted to grab up Grace and fly away and never come back.
“I am not sharing her with them. They’ll never let me hear the end of it. Jhoare alone—”
“You’re an idiot,” Gil muttered.
“I don’t mind waiting. It would be nice to have some time to ourselves.” Grace’s voice was high and breathless, and so startling, we both jumped.
My heart thudded on my ribs, pounding until I felt my pulse in my skin.
There was so little light with the clouds blocking the moon, but the low light glistened on the raindrops clinging to Grace’s hair.
Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her pretty blue eyes clouded with irritation.
But to my relief, it was Gil she glared at with her arms folded.
She looked adorably stern. “This is between me and Voski. You need to leave him alone.”
Gil gaped at her. “How the fuck did you do that?”
I was still shaking from the shock of her appearance, but I couldn’t help a smile when she looked at me, confused.
I didn’t know the answer. But suddenly, I brimmed with pride just as surely as I’d shaken with rage before. Because she was impossible. And incredible.
And mine.