“When the most beautiful woman in all the fae realms is in my room at night, I’d much rather have her close.”
“Oh, okay.” She turned to the door. “I’ll go find her then.”
“Get over here,” he growled.
“Well, if you insist.” She slipped out of her shoes and launched herself onto the bed, landing on top of Griff.
“That’s one way to wake me up.” He gripped her waist and flipped her so her back hit the bed. “But I like this better.” Hovering over her, he lowered himself onto his elbows.
“Are you going to kiss me?” she whispered.
“Was that a request?”
She shook her head. “A demand.”
“You ask so much of me.” He pressed his lips to hers in a slow, sweet kiss. Griff wasn’t an intense man, not a passionate man. He didn’t devour her or steal her breath away.
Instead, he cherished her.
He rolled off her, landing on his side and propped his head up. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“And that’s enough reason for you to sneak into a man’s room in the dead of night?”
She lifted her eyes to the canopy overhead. “I didn’t really think anything of it. I’ve been doing this my entire life.”
He reeled back, his eyes widening.
“I didn’t mean this,” she blurted, gesturing between them. “I used to climb out my bedroom window to get to Myles whenever my parents sent me to my room… which was often and usually after a lot of yelling.”
“Have I told you yet how sorry I am about your friend?”
She went quiet for a long moment, not wanting to talk about Myles. She didn’t know if it was still too fresh, or if she just wanted to keep her best friend to herself a little longer.
Resting her head on Griff’s shoulder, she hesitated before asking the question on the tip of her tongue. “Were you and Lochlan ever friends?”
“He’s my brother.”
“Yes, but was he your friend?”
His voice went cold. “We were young when my uncle separated us.” When he didn’t say anything else right away, Brea thought he was done. Finally, he went on. “But before that… I have memories, small ones. Lochlan is two years older than me, and I remember the day we learned our parents had died, or at least bits of it. The only person I wanted was him.” He sighed. “The court loved my parents. Everyone sank into mourning. Servants. Guards. Nobles. It was like Iskalt lost its soul. But so did we, me and my brother. We lost so much more than our souls.”
“Did you find him that day?”
“I did. I sat next to him, and he wrapped an arm around me.” Griff scratched his face and blew out a breath. “I’ve never told anyone about that day. I don’t know why I’m telling you. I don’t even know if these memories are true or a child’s twisted fantasies.”
Guilt gnawed at her for not talking to him about Myles, but she wasn’t ready for that. She turned onto her side and stretched an arm across his chest. “You don’t have to tell me. But you can… you know… if you want to.”
“I’ve seen too much of Lochlan in the past few weeks. Before I found him in the human realm, it had been four years since our last encounter. It’s easier not to think of him when I’m not staring him in the face.”
“Maybe thinking of him isn’t a bad thing. Do you think you could make up?”
“You mean reconcile?” He shook his head. “Not while he stands at the Eldur queen’s side.”
“What did he say to you the day your parents died? Do you remember?”
Griff didn’t answer at first, and only the sound of their breathing filled the room. “He said it was up to us to make them proud now. That we only had each other, but that he promised it would be enough.”
“Your promises,” she whispered. It made sense now. Griff obsessed over making promises, and it was because he believed Lochlan broke his.
He rested his chin on the top of her head. “At the time, we thought he would rule over Iskalt with my parents’ advisors to help him. He was a kid, but it wasn’t unheard of. My uncle had other plans. Within a fortnight those advisors were either dead or disappeared, and Lochlan and I were sent to be raised and educated in other courts under the guise of creating worldly leaders.”
“Will your uncle ever abdicate?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure it matters to me. Lochlan is the rightful king.”
Brea wanted to shake him. As an only child, she always dreamed of having a sibling to go through life with, someone to share the struggles. Sure, she didn’t know how the fae world worked, but Iskalt didn’t only belong to Lochlan. It had been Griff’s parents’ realm, their people.
How could he forsake that?
“Brea,” he whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Say something funny so I can forget about all of this.”
“I’m not a funny person, Griff. The sooner you realize that the better.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Okay, say something human because that’s always funny.”
“We’re pretty boring. Only elves think humans are funny.”
“I’m not a—” He paused. “You’re making fun of me.”
“Yes siree, Bob.”
“There it is.” His laugh shook his entire body. “I don’t understand half your odd phrases, but they sure are entertaining.”
“I live to please.” She sat up. “Want to play a game?”
He pushed himself up so his back rested against the cherry headboard. “In the dark? Should I retrieve a lantern?”
“Nope.” She popped her p and grinned. “Just give me your hand. We’re going to have a thumb war.”
“Brea.” He frowned. “There’s no such thing as a war with thumbs.”
“Sure there is. I’ll show you.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She laughed. “You won’t.”
“But it’s a war.”
“Shut your yap already and give me your hand.” When he didn’t, she reached out and grabbed his hand, locking it into the thumb war position. Scooting closer to him, she relaxed. “Okay, follow my lead. We count to eight, tapping our thumbs on opposite sides from each other. When we reach eight, try to pin my thumb.”
“Brea, I’m stronger than you. How do you think you can win such a game?”
She grinned. He had no idea. She’d spent many nights having thumb wars with Myles when neither of them could sleep and they couldn’t turn on the light in case his mom saw.
“Just go with it.” She tapped her thumb, showing him how to do it. “One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war. Five, six, seven, eight, try to keep your thumbs straight.” She straightened her thumb, grappling with Griff’s before pinning it in two seconds flat.
Griff only stared at their still-interlocked hands. “That’s not how war works.”
“That’s why it’s a game, Griff, not a battle.”
“Can we try again?”