Page 123 of Blood Fist

He wanted nothing to do with magic and refused to accept that he had any kind of ability at all. Despite all of that, he was getting better. At least he stopped asking Ridan to kill him.

“He’ll be fine,” Ridan said because he would be. He would make sure of it.

Without waiting for Gustall’s answer, he left in search of Brune. He didn’t particularly need him, at least not for anything specific. He just wanted to see him.

And wasn’t that new? Ridan had never, in his life, believed that what he wanted should supersede what he needed. What the clan needed. But Brune was different. When so much of Ridan’s life was filled withhave toandneeds.Brune was awant.A treat at the end of a meal. A nap under a shade tree in the middle of summer. A pretty flower in the middle of a line of crops.

Someone Ridan didn’t need to survive, but chose to have in his life.

He found Brune with Corric and Jonen. Somehow, the tall alpha had cajoled Corric out of the tent and to the stables. They were petting his new horse, the one Corric had yet to name, and laughing. Corric was laughing.

Because of anyone, of course, Brune knew Corric was happiest with his horses. He knew Ridan needed to get angry, and he knew that being reminded of what his alpha went through for a courting gift would be the thing that reminded Corric who he was.

Brune was happiness. Even when he was thrust into this new life, struggling with rules and people he didn’t know, he found joy in the simplest things. In washing his clothes or discovering that snakes didn’t have legs.

Just seeing him, lips curled and teeth on display, hay in his hair and a bandage on his arm from where Ridan bit him, was enough to wash Ridan free of his burdens. As long as his eyes were on Brune, the weight of his responsibilities abated. They weren’t gone completely, because Ridan would never be free of them, but they were lessened.

With Brune at his side, Ridan believed—in himself, in his clan, and in victory. Brune was a shining of example of why they couldn’t lose.

Limbs heavy with exhaustion, but heart light, Ridan walked up to Brune. Without saying a word to his packmates, he grabbed the alpha by the wrist and dragged him to the other end of the barn. Before Brune could question him, he spun him around and dropped them both into a pile of hay.

Brune laughed as he fell, wrinkling his nose when the hay tickled him. Ridan slipped his hand off his wrist and threaded their fingers together.

“You made Corric smile.”

“I didn’t do anything except get him outside,” Brune protested. “Jonen has been the one to?—”

“You made him smile when no one else could,” Ridan repeated. “You gave Jonen the confidence to court Corric. You stood with Osmond so he could court Niklas on his terms. You freed Buzzard from his chains.” Ridan wiggled closer to Brune, close enough he could smell him over the heady scent of hay and horse. “And you saved me. In more ways than one.”

Brune shook his head. “Ridan, those things were just…I wasn’t trying to do anything. I was just…”

“Being you?” Ridan teased, inching closer so he could nuzzle against Brune’s jaw. “Please don’t stop.”

Ridan heard Brune sigh in contentment, throwing an arm around him and tugging him close. The hay was uncomfortable. It itched, stuck into his skin, and somehow got into his pants. Yet Ridan had never been happier. Leaning back, he reached up to card his fingers through his hair. He pulled Brune’s lips to his.

This time, Ridan let himself purr as loud as he wanted.

He couldn’t breathe.

A searing pain choked off his lungs. They couldn’t expand. Struggling, he tried to throw himself back, only to land with a hard thud on his back. The pressure on his chest eased, and he inhaled greedily, only to have his throatburn.

Noxious smoke filled his chest, cutting like blades as he gagged. Clawing at his chest, he caught a sliver of light. It came with warmth. Blinking through tears, he finally managed to get his bearings.

It wasn’t light. It was flames.

With a whoosh, it was like someone had lifted his head from underwater and he could hear again. Breaking wood and the distinct sound of crackling fire.

“—idan!”

Brune was at his side, face worried and covered in soot. Blood trickled down his face from a cut hidden in his hair. He grabbed Ridan roughly, looking him over.

“Are you hurt?”

Ridan didn’t know. Everything was spinning. Shakily, he reached out and grabbed Brune. The contact seemed to steady him.

“What happened?” he shouted. His voice sounded far away.

“We’re under attack! Can you get up?” Brune’s eyes were wide, bright in the smoky light.