Seventy-Seven

***XADEN***

Raelisar’s coming.

And with every step that brings him closer, the air seems to hum with tension, like the island itself is holding its breath, waiting for what’s about to unfold.
But I don’t have time to deal with that. Not when she’s here.

Remi is pacing the room, her movements sharp, restless. She’s all coiled energy and fury, her thoughts spinning around the problem of Raelisar like she’s somehow going to find a solution. It’s cute, really. That she thinks she can outmaneuver him. Him. The man who chews through men like us and spits them out for sport.

But gods, I’d give anything to focus on something—anything—other than the way her body moves in those damned tight clothes she insists on wearing. Every step she takes drives me mad, and it’s all I can do not to pull her back into my lap, to feel her against me again, to lose myself in her, if only for a moment.

No. Not yet. Not when Raelisar’s shadow is already creeping toward us.

“You’re distracted,” she says suddenly, her voice sharp as a blade. She turns on me, arms crossed over her chest, a frown etched into her too-pretty face. “You know something you’re not telling me.”

I can’t help but smirk. Of course, she’s suspicious. She always is. Remi doesn’t trust easily, and for good reason. But I’ve never lied to her. Not about the things that matter, anyway.

“There are many things I know that you don’t,” I say, leaning back in my chair, feigning the calm I don’t feel. I hold her gaze, daring her to push further, to demand more. “But this? You wouldn’t like the answer.”

Her eyes narrow. “Try me.”

I let out a low laugh, rubbing a hand over my jaw. She’s relentless. She always has been. It’s one of the many things I admire about her, though I’ll never say it out loud. That would only give her too much power over me, and she already has more of it than I’d care to admit.

“Fine,” I say, rising to my feet in one fluid motion. I step toward her, closing the distance between us in two long strides. She doesn’t move, doesn’t flinch. She never does. Remi is brave, even when she shouldn’t be. “Do you know why they call my brother the Reaper?”

She blinks. I watch as her lips parting slightly. “Why?" she asks, and there’s a note of fear in her voice, as if she doesn't want to hear it.

"He once murdered an entire Isle."

Remi's eyes go wide. I nod, and for the briefest moment, I see it—the flash of fear in her eyes before she blinks it away. She’s heard the stories, of course. Everyone has. Raelisar is the shadow lurking at the edges of every battlefield, the monster whispered about in the dark.

He’s also my brother.

And if I’m being honest, he’s far more dangerous than any of the legends suggest.


I step closer, until I’m towering over her, until she has to tilt her head back to meet my eyes. She doesn’t move away, doesn’t retreat. Gods, I admire her for that.

"And I'm fucked."

"Why?"

“Because,” I say softly, lowering my voice to a near whisper, “he knows what I’ve been keeping from him. And when he finds out... well, let’s just say, things will get interesting.”

She frowns. “What have you been keeping from him?”

I smile, slow and dangerous. “That,” I murmur, “is none of your concern.”

Her frustration is palpable, but before she can retort, Kallias strides into the room, his expression as grim as ever. “We don’t have much time,” he says, glancing between the two of us. “Raelisar will be here within the hour.”

Remi tenses at the mention of my brother’s name, but she doesn’t back down. She never does.

“Do you think he’ll attack?” she asks, her voice hard, steely.

I laugh again, the sound low and dark. “Raelisar doesn’t attack,” I say, moving to stand beside her, close enough that I can feel the heat of her skin. “He devours.”
Her eyes flick to mine, and I see the question there, the doubt. But she won’t ask it, not yet. She wants to trust me, even though every instinct in her is screaming not to.

I almost pity her. Almost.

Kallias clears his throat. “If he’s coming for a fight, we need to be prepared.”

I shake my head. “There’s no preparing for him. Not for Raelisar.”

Remi stiffens beside me, but I don’t turn to look at her. I don’t have to. I can feel her anger, her defiance. It radiates off her in waves, like a living, breathing thing. She thinks she can face him, that she can win. It’s endearing. Foolish, but endearing.

“We’ll see about that,” she mutters under her breath.

I smirk, sliding my hands into my pockets, leaning in just enough so that only she can hear my next words. “You don’t know what you’re asking for, little girl.”

Her gaze snaps to mine, fire flashing in her eyes. “Then show me,” she says, her voice low, challenging.

I grin. Gods, I’ve missed this. Missed her fire, her fight.

But there’s no time for that. Not when my brother is almost here.

“Soon,” I promise, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers linger just a moment longer than necessary. “But first, we survive Raelisar.”

She watches me, her breath quickening just enough for me to notice. And then, without another word, she turns and stalks out of the room.

I can’t help but smile as I watch her go.

Yes. This will be fun.