He’d always been too kind, too gentle, and too fucking good for the rest of them, but he’d also been prideful. Out of all his brothers, Varo was the last one Cole expected to survive the war.
Yet here he was. Thinner and with shadows under his haunted eyes, but still standing and alive. Cole hadn’t expected him to choose any side in the war, let alone go against their father, but he had.
He’d never understood it, but he didn’t harbor the same resentment toward Varo as he did toward his other brothers who chose the other side. Whatever Varo’s reasons, he knew none of them involved pride, glory, or anger.
Varo did what he did because he believed it was right. Not to prove something or to make his mark on the world.
“Varo,” he whispered.
The familiarity and warmth of the grin on Varo’s face tugged at his heart. Out of them all, Varo was the one who could brighten a room with his smile and presence. Cole hadn’t realized how much he missed that smile until he saw it again.
When Varo stepped toward him, Cole broke away from Lexi and strode toward his brother. He opened his arms, and Varo walked into them.
Bones that weren’t prominent the last time they embraced poked Cole’s palms. In response, Cole hugged him tighter as Varo’s fingers dug into his back.
Realizing his brother was crying, Cole bent his head and rested his cheek against Varo’s. “I’m happy to see you too, brother,” he whispered.
Varo’s shoulders shook, and his words came out in a tremulous whisper. “I’ve missed you.”
“And I you.”
Tears burned Lexi’s throat as the brothers embraced. When one of them fell down her cheek, she glanced at her father. Earlier, she was so shocked by his revelation and angry about him and Sahira keeping everything from her that she hadn’t taken the time to appreciate what she’d been given…
A miracle.
He must have seen something on her face as he rose and crossed the room to embrace her. Lexi melted into him when the arms that held her so often as a child enveloped her again.
The familiar scent of mint and the outdoors filled her nostrils. It was the scent of her youth, the aromas of comfort and love.
Lexi closed her eyes against the rest of her tears as she listened to the heartbeat she’d believed forever deadened. She opened her eyes as Cole and Varo pulled apart. They clasped each other’s arms while they studied one another.
“I heard about father,” Varo said. “That must have been horrible for you to witness.”
Cole winced. “At least it was fast.”
Varo’s already prominent cheekbones stood out more as a desperate gleam filled his eyes. “We have to get the Lord off that throne.”
“We will,” Cole promised as he released Varo and turned to face the rest of them. “How did things go here?”
“The spell has been cast,” Brokk said. “The clones are in the tunnel waiting for us to take them to the Lord.”
“Where’s Sahira?” Lexi asked.
“She was going to put the harrow stone somewhere safe before getting something to eat and drink. Last night took a lot out of her,” her dad said.
A twinge of guilt and sorrow tugged at Lexi’s heart. She wasn’t entirely thrilled with everything she’d learned, but she didn’t want Sahira drained or weakened.
“What happened with the dragon in the Gloaming?” Brokk asked. “How much damage did it cause?”
As Cole crossed to Lexi, her father released her but remained standing at her side. Cole rested his hand on her hip as he stood on the other side of her.
“None near the palace, but the fires and the craz had already done more than enough damage. There wasn’t much for it to destroy or eat. It did eat some horses in Underhill,” Cole answered.
“It made it to Underhill?” Orin asked.
“Yes,” Cole said. “In case you forgot, dragons can fly.”
Orin gave Cole the finger. His anger wasn’t all that menacing, considering the end of his nose resembled Rudolph’s. She still had no idea how Cole hit him or whatever he did, but he had.
Sahira appeared in the doorway. In one hand, she held a steaming mug of tea; in the other was a plate of cheese. She stopped when she saw Lexi and Cole. A large smile lit her face before her gaze settled on Lexi, and it faltered.
Lexi smiled and gave a tentative wave that caused her aunt to beam. Maybe she’d discovered her father and aunt weren’t her blood relatives, but they were her family, and they always would be.
It would still take some time to get over being lied to and suppressed her entire life, but they’d done it out of love and to protect her. After what happened at the inn in Underhill, she understood why.
Chapter Fifty-Five
“Is the dragon still in the Gloaming?” her dad asked.
“No, it stayed on a mountain for a little bit before disappearing through a portal it created. I left some men behind in case it, or one of its brethren, returns to Underhill now that they’ve discovered a food supply there,” Cole said. “Niall is going to help them herd the wild horses somewhere safe before he takes Torigon and meets me back at the palace. If the dragons do return, there won’t be a food supply readily available to them next time.”
“What else happened while you were there?” Brokk focused on Lexi. “Why are you so covered up?”
With everything that happened after their return, Lexi had forgotten she was still wearing the thick cloak and hood over her hair. She went to pull it off before hesitating.
Her skin and everything else had gone back to normal once she was out of the sun, but she was still hesitant to remove the hood. What if she started glowing again?
Cole looked to Varo. “Have they filled you in on everything that’s happened?”
“Brokk filled me in on all of it.” Then his eyes flicked to Brokk, and his brow furrowed. “At least I think he has.”
“He doesn’t know everything,” Brokk said. “You said he could know, but there was one thing I kept from him.”
And Lexi knew what that one thing was… her. Or at least her true heritage.
“It’s up to the two of you to reveal it or not,” Brokk continued. “Though, I’m sure Orin will tell him eventually.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” Orin said, and Varo looked a little hurt. “Sorry,” Orin apologized. “But this is one secret that’s not mine to tell.”
“Fair enough,” Varo murmured.
Cole looked questioningly down at her. “Can I tell him?”
“Do you trust him?” she asked.
“To keep this secret and protect you, absolutely.”
Lexi bit her lip as she studied Varo. She trusted Cole completely, but she already felt too exposed and uncertain in this strange new world she was trying to navigate.
“You do not have to do anything you don’t want to do,” Cole reminded her.
“I know I’m a stranger to you, and all you know about me is that I stood against my father and Cole in the war, but I’m not a cruel man, and I do not break my vows. I promise that whatever you reveal here will go to my grave with me,” Varo said.