Page 48 of Daman

I’d never been in an actual relationship before—one that lasted more than a few days anyway. Envy had always ruined them by making me blow up, snap out of jealousy, or just be generally miserable company. So this, with him, was new for me too.

Armen piled sausage on a plate before checking on the small pancakes on the other burner. He then cracked eggs in the skillet he’d cooked the sausage in. He was an amazing multitasker. I would’ve burned everything by now.

“That’s a lot of food for just three people,” I pointed out.

As if on cue, commotion came from the front porch—the clatter of boots knocking against wood and the rising of voices.

“Daman!” Gray called out before a thump sounded at the door. “Open up. It’s so cold. I’m dying.”

“Hey, I smell food,” Raiden said, and there was another knock. “I’m so hungry I think I’m dying too.”

“Quit being so dramatic, both of you,” another voice chimed in. Alastair.

I opened the door to see all of my brothers—plus Simon and Kyo—standing under the awning, snow in their hair and their breaths visible in the cold morning air. Gray ran past me into the cottage. The others entered next.

“Congrats on the new home,” Bellamy said, slapping me once on the back.

“Did you know about it?”

“Nope. I found out this morning.”

As they shrugged out of their coats and sat around the dining table, Armen brought over platters of food and poured coffee into our mugs. When he’d learned Alastair preferred tea, he rushed over to brew a kettle for him. He was constantly moving, making sure we had everything we needed. Bellamy grabbed him and made him sit down to eat with us.

“Oh. I couldn’t possibly,” Armen said, trying to stand back up.

“Boy, don’t make me strap you down.” Bellamy winked at him.

The younger male flushed like crazy and stumbled over his words as my brothers piled food onto his plate. He looked at Warrin, as if worried it wasn’t okay for him to sit with us.

Warrin nodded to him, and the smallest of smiles lingered at the corner of his lips.

Over breakfast, I learned Alastair was the only one who’d known about the cottage prior to the wedding. The surprise would’ve been ruined otherwise. The others would’ve blabbed to me about it because they were awful at keeping secrets. Or they would’ve tried so hardnotto tell me that their thoughts would’ve been amplified and found me anyway.

“Will you be joining us for the holiday?” Warrin asked Alastair after we finished eating and helped Armen clear the table.

“No. We’re returning to Echo Bay today.”

Things were still kind of tense between me and Alastair. We hadn’t really talked since the argument before the ceremony.

“Are you still angry with me?”he asked so only I could hear.

“Well, I’m not exactly happy.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,”he said, and it looked like he meant it. Alastair didn’t sugarcoat shit though.“However, the mission remains the same. Focus on building bonds of trust between Warrin and the kingdom. It’s imperative if we are to be true allies. They need to believe in what they’re fighting for.”

“I know how alliances work, Pride.”

“Good. Then you won’t disappoint me.”

“Why are you being such an ass? I married him, didn’t I? What more do you fucking want?”

“Real commitment,”he answered.“And for you to take this seriously.”

I recalled my conversation last night with Warrin. He was worried I wasn’t taking it seriously either. Worried I’d run away as soon as I saw no more use for him. So Alastair wasn’t exactly wrong for being such a hard-ass. He was only doing it because he knew me. He knew how my mind worked.

“Will you be okay without us?” Gray asked, hanging on to me and breaking the mind link between me and Alastair. “What if you get lonely?”

Warrin caught my eye from across the kitchen. He stood in front of the window, watching the snow fall. He quickly looked away.