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He pulled out his shirt and took a sniff, grimacing.

“I don’t like the way you have Zaria’s back over mine,” I grumbled after Kiera left.

He scowled. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“It’s starting to feel that way.”

Kol rested his forearms on the table, leaning forward. “I would do anything for you, you know that.” He jabbed his finger into the tabletop. “Including care for your ryder when you are clearly incapable of doing so because you have your head up your arse.”

“I do not,” I objected.

“Really? Because you sure aren’t giving the impression you have any clue how to make peace, which you know is the only way to start making any progress as a bonded pair. I mean, sure you can just carry on pissing each other off, but you’ll never meld fully like that. And that’s not your destiny, is it, brother?”

I shrugged, determined not to give away that I knew it wasn’t. I rocked back on my chair, trying to seem unaffected.

Kol laughed. He could see straight into my damned soul, I would swear.

“You have a real chance to have a meld so perfect, your powers will become one if you do this right. A bond like yours runs deeper than flyer and ryder. You might fool everyone else, but not me. I saw what’s between you in only a moment.”

“Is that right?” I tried not to look found out.

“Believe it,” he pressed. “Maybe instead of putting all your energy into standing your ground and trying to work around the rules to get her flying, you should be figuring out how to make her feel valued and supported. You realize she is forever, right?

“Goddess! Are you sure? I thought I could exchange her at the ryder store if I didn’t like her.”

“I sometimes wonder how we are related.” He sighed. “All I’m saying is, if you stopped being your stubborn self, maybe you could find a way to meld more than just your powers.” He quirked a brow.

I dropped my chair back onto four legs, my hands balling into fists at my sides. “What do you suggest… I sleep with my ryder? I seem to remember you telling me when she first arrived that I should keep my charms to myself. That’s what I’m doing.”

Kol scoffed and rubbed his tongue against his cheek. “That was when she first arrived. This is now. I can feel the bond between you, so please don’t play me for a fool like you would everyone else in the kingdom. At this point, I think it would serve you better to be charming rather than hostile. And you both could benefit from getting it out of your system. Orgasms put everyone in a better mood.”

I made a crude gesture at him. “It’s a shame I’m not like you. I’m the surly twin, remember?”

“You made that choice. You can blame me for a lot of things, big brother, but not your personality.” The worst part about Kol was his ability to let everything roll off his back while wearing a smile, then so easily return the insult ten-fold.

“It’s not my fault my ryder was taken from me.”

“No, but it is your fault you turned in to a grumpy bastard when she wasn’t instantly delighted to finally reunite with you, so lighten up.”

“I will lighten up as soon as I find what’s blocking her magic and deal with it.”

“How about you just try to stop driving her away for a start?”

“She will leave as soon as she has a choice—mark my words. That is why I have no time to waste getting her trained and melding our magic. She’s only here now because I promised she could leave once she helps me. This needs to happen before I lose her again, and for good this time.”

Kol’s frown came back. “Then what? You’ll be bonded, melded in every way, and she thinks she can walk away from that?”

“She doesn’t understand what any of it means. She only sees a way to leave.”

“And where will that leave you? Ryderless again, and no better off than you were before.”

“No. I’ll have our melded powers. I’ll be able to assume control of the Dragon Council, and I won’t need a ryder to be a general. Many have held the position long after they have lost their ryders. They just don’t lead from the front; they lead from here. I’ll figure it out.”

He shook his head. “This isn’t the way.”

“I am out of choices.” And running out of time. My gut told me that if she went back and found the bodies of her family, she would follow them to the Valley of the Dead rather than carry on, and I couldn’t risk losing her like that before we melded. Too much rested on me gaining what was mine by birth.

Kol shook his head, clearly listening to my thoughts.