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“I… thank you.” Kato blinked at the cup of wine that was suddenly thrust into his hands. “I appreciate the offer, but that’s probably a non-issue.” A woman with a bowl of stew approached him, but he waved her off. He was still covered in blood—his and others—and he didn’t think he could stomach anything just yet. Even if it did smell delicious. “I’ll likely be on guard duty most of the night.”

Kalahad nodded, accepting his own cup of wine. “That’s right. I remember now. You joined the Gate Watchers last year. In fact, I hear you were leading the party sent out to find me.”

“Uh… yes.” Kato claimed a seat—a scuffed wooden affair with a ripped blue cushion. It was true. Lord Brenin—or ratherKalahad—had come to Tempris only a handful of weeks ago, claiming an interest in the island’s economic rehabilitation. Instead of going to see Marquess Castaro, however, the noble had set off on his own, intent on inspecting the farmland on the southeastern edge of the island. The Gate Watchers had lost track of him after the attacks began.

Kato hung his head. “We didn’t do a very good job, I’m afraid, and for that, I apologize.”

Kalahad smiled, holding out his glass. A servant immediately rushed to refill it. “Not to worry—I have a tendency to wander off. I got separated from my group, and Lord Castaro and his scouts found me two days ago—dazed, confused, and covered in mud, blood, and my own filth.”

“And the rest of your party?” Kato asked, sipping from his cup. The wine was remarkably smooth, and he savored it. It was likely the last good wine he’d have for a while.

“Fine, all fine. My brother made sure that I had only the purest of the purebloods on my protection detail. Mages with long illustrious backgrounds that loudly resented being sent here to babysit a half-breed like myself.”

Kato looked up. “You’ll have to forgive me. I was unaware you had human blood.”

Kalahad shrugged. “On my mother’s side. You’re a demi-fey as well, yes? Your father was a Feseraa?”

Kato nodded, but before he could open his mouth to respond, Kalahad signaled for the servant to refill both of their cups. “Nice to know I have a friend in this place,” he muttered. “Us half-breeds—we have to stick together. We’re not Highborn enough for the Highborn, but the Lowborn are still too scared to even look us in the eye.”

Kato snorted. “A High Lord’s younger brother? I’m sure there’s no shortage of nobles wanting to kiss your ass.”

“And you can say differently?” Kalahad grinned. “You used to be heir to the most powerful household in the Imperium.”

“ ‘Used to’being the operative phrase there,” Kato shot back, trying to keep the sharpness from his tone and only half succeeding. His disinheritance was common knowledge among the nobility, but that didn’t mean it was a pleasant topic. “Like most households, my family still prioritizes purebloods in the line of succession. My brother—Skylen. He’s the heir now.”

“Passed over for the younger brother,” Kalahad drawled. “A common tale. Not particularly fair, if you ask me, but then again, few things are. I must say—I’ve always been quite happy to be so far removed from my family’s primary bloodline. Far fewer consequences when I make an ass of myself.”

Kato huffed out a laugh. “That’s one way of looking at it, I suppose.”

“There’s freedom in being unimportant,” Kalahad said with a wink. “I’ll never have power, and that suits me just fine. I’m content drainingmy brother’s coffers and leaving the business of ruling to my betters. Though I get the feeling you don’t feel the same. It couldn’t have been easy losing your family’s favor for something so far outside your control.”

It was Kato’s turn to shrug. “I never cared much for power, but for a very long time, I was the Duchess’ only son. Taking her place seemed inevitable.”

“Good you have your brother then. Now you’re free to live the life you want.”

Kato grimaced.True.Or it would be if he hadn’t already made so many sacrifices in the name of duty and family. He’d given up the life he wanted a long time ago, and there would be no getting it back. Those decisions couldn’t be undone.

“Say now…” Kalahad mused, swirling his wine. “If I recall, you had that little human tryst a few centuries back. What was her name again? Sylvia? Sabrina?”

Sarah, a small voice immediately supplied.Her name was Sarah.

Kato silenced the voice, forcing a smile and making sure his eyes crinkled just so. The smile was the hardest part to fake, but he had gotten good at it over the years. Good at convincing people that he’d forgotten about the woman he loved. Good at pretending he didn’t care that he had been ordered to send her away. The heir to Ghislain couldn’t take a human lover. That would have been too much of a scandal.

Not that it mattered anymore. That sacrifice had become gut-wrenchingly irrelevant the moment his baby brother took his first breath.

“Is that why you’re on the island?” Kalahad prodded. “Is the black sheep of Ghislain finally going to claim his bride? Rumor says she relocated to the human realm, and with the time differential—she might still be alive.”

Kato drained his cup, forcing that smile to spread just a little wider. “You know,” he said, “I’m starting to think you’re a bit of a gossip.”

“Yes,” Kalahad answered easily. “Yes, I am, and since I’ve now been discovered, I feel no shame in saying that the word around camp is that your brother finds himself in a similar situation. Is it true he’s taken a human mate?”

“I’m not sure.” Not a lie, though Kato did wonder why he hadn’t just said “yes.” The golden boy was clearly infatuated with Taly, and that relationship would surely bring shame to both him and their family. If this were any other time, any other situation, he’d have no problem sowing a few seeds of dissent just to see how far people were willing to go to kiss his brother’s ass—but not about this. This would affect Taly too, and if she ever found her way back, he didn’t want to hurt her more than he already had.

The same way he had never wanted to hurt Sarah.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

Kato’s brows rose in question. “I’m not sure I follow.”