Page 60 of Bite The Power That Feeds

“We have to try.” For once, Cobra was fully on my side, because the woman he loved possessed the blood of the enemy. “We must get him to listen to reason. Every Ethereal who knew the truth of the practice has died by our hand. Everyone else who remains is a naïve victim. Surely, he must understand that. He’s the smartest man I know.”

“But he’s also the bloodiest—as we all know,” Viper said. “Mother’s death is how we ended up here, fifteen hundred years later, because some assholes took her from us. Once he knows that the Ethereal took her soul, which is infinitely worse, he’ll never stop.”

“Then what will we do?” Cobra asked. “What will we do if he decides to burn Evanguard to the ground?”

I stared at my empty glass.

Viper’s eyes had dropped to the coffee table between us.

Cobra started to massage his knuckles in unease.

I didn’t want to think about the extremes we’d have to go to. “We’ll worry about that when we have to.”

* * *

The empty bottles and glasses were cleared away before he walked inside. My brothers had vacated and retired to their bedrooms. Larisa was probably fast asleep by now. Or my absence had left a chill in the sheets that she couldn’t ignore.

He entered my study, a room he’d never been in, and then took the seat directly across from me. The energy was instantly different. Even if his forgiveness was sincere, he always possessed a quiet veil of hostility. Now I knew it wasn’t personal, just who he was.

His posture was stiff, his back straight. The venom had preserved his age, so he was still a handsome man. He wasn’t in the same shape as my brothers and me since he spent most of his time being waited on by hundreds of servants. Most battles were fought in his name, but not with his sword.

Silence stretched. The fire crackled and popped.

I grabbed one of the bottles and filled his glass.

He stared at it before he took a drink, downing the entire thing like it was a single shot.

I refilled it.

“I remember the night before my wedding. I’ve never slept so hard.”

“You always knew she was the one—”

“The moment I saw her.” His words cut right through me, probably his intention. “In the market square, three zucchinis in her arms. I knew she would give me my sons. And when she looked at me, I knew she felt the same way. Love at first sight, some might say.”

“That’s beautiful.”

“Is that how you feel about Larisa?”

“Well, it wasn’t love at first sight. More like hate at first sight. I guess you could say it was a slow burn, but now our fire burns hotter than the forges at the smithing station. I wish she could give me children, but she’s more than enough.”

He gave a slight nod. “Then I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

“She’s infinitely better than—”

“I don’t want to hear her name ever again, especially if my fiancée’s name is in the same sentence.”

He wore an empty gaze before he gave a nod. “Fair enough.”

The heaviness in the air between us was exactly as I remembered. It started to feel the way it did before, a real conversation in which we could fully be ourselves.

“I’m assuming Larisa chose to remain immortal with you.”

All I could do was stare.

“She resisted the temptation—which means her dedication to you is irrefutable. Your marriage will be long and prosperous and, hopefully, eternal.”