Page 76 of Castor

“Remember my threat about the handcuffs.” Alastair came to stand between us. “She just swore her and her clan’s allegiance to us. If you screw that up, I will strangle you.”

“I’m keeping my hands to myself, Al. Get that pissy look off your face.”

“So what now?” I asked as the warriors began to disperse, some grabbing swords to practice in the field while others found the path that led to their homes. It was almost dinnertime. “Are we going to stay here for a few days?”

“I don’t think so,” Alastair answered. “Sirena’s force needs no training, and with Naida commanding Baxter’s warriors, they should be fine. We will stay in contact with each other and call if a threat arises. As of now, we don’t know where Asa plans to strike first, but we’ll be ready when he does.”

“We’re going home?” Raiden asked. He barely had any marks on him from his match with Lysandra.

Longing filled Alastair’s eyes. “We’ve been away from our family long enough.”

I smiled. “Gray’s gonna give us a huge hug right when we walk through the front door.”

Bellamy laughed. “And then he’ll promptly fall asleep in the foyer, and we’ll have to carry him to his favorite couch to nap.”

Kyo pressed closer to my side. “I guess I should call my brother and let him know I’ll be home soon. We… we have to make arrangements and stuff for… for later.”

An anchor dropped in my gut.

“Or.” I turned to him. “You could come home with me.”

“Castor…”

“Whoa.” I pretended to be offended. “What the hell did you just call me? My name is Red.”

That did it.

A smile spread across Kyo’s face. “Still a dork.”

“And I’m still yours.” I hugged him to my chest.

His fingertips dug into my back as he returned my embrace. “Don’t say that.”

“Why? It’s true.”

“You know why.” A light shudder passed through him before he pulled away from me. I hated the sadness in his orange eyes. “It’s just going to make it hurt even more when… when I…”

As a sharp pain went through my heart, Alastair glanced at me. He was no stranger to heartbreak. Beneath his cold exterior and unfazed mannerisms, he was still grieving the loss of the man he loved.

If anyone understood my pain right then, it was him.

“Let’s return to the cottage,” Alastair said loud enough for Raiden and Bellamy to hear. “The sun is setting. We can rest here one more night and leave first thing in the morning.”

“Hopefully we eat dinner soon,” Raiden said as we strolled along the path. “I burnt off that pineapple during my match. I need to replenish, or I’ll starve to death.”

“Can’t have you going hungry,” Bellamy said. “The world might literally end.”

“Yeah.” Raiden faked a sniffle. “Poor me.”

Reaching the cottage, Kyo and I jogged up to our room. I grabbed a change of clothes from my bag and winked at him. “Wanna join me for a shower? I might even let you wash my body.”

“Oh you’llletme, huh?” Kyo pulled a clean pair of boxers from his bag and came up behind me. “Washing you is supposed to be some kind of reward?”

“Hell yeah it is.” I faced him and placed his hand on my abdomen. “Feel all those sexy ridges? Like a fucking washboard.”

“Isn’t Alastair supposed to be the vain one?”

I waggled my eyebrows at him.