Page 24 of Fly to Fury (War of the Alliance #3)

Oh. That was something she should have considered, back when Fieran had simply told her that he couldn’t. She hadn’t even protested.

“Right now, you aren’t in a relationship.

He has the freedom to make a decision for himself, as you do to make a decision for yourself.

You both have every right to say no to anything more, and you don’t need to consult each other because you don’t owe each other anything.

” Mak held her gaze steadily. “But going forward if you do pursue something more, it would become a problem if he kept making decisions that way. You should tell him how you feel. Whether you agree with him or not.”

“But what if…what if telling him ruins everything?” Pip reached for the coil of wire again to give her fingers something to do. She risked a glance at Fieran. He was still surrounded by the pilots of the two squadrons, laughing and talking.

While she didn’t exactly like the current tension of their not-relationship, the friendship between them was still comfortable. She didn’t want to risk losing not just a future relationship but his current friendship.

Worse, what if a fight between the two of them ruined her friendships with all the flyboys? They were a tight-knit group. They had to be to face the dangers they did every day.

“If he isn’t willing to hear you out now, then he won’t take the time to listen to your opinions when things become more serious down the road.

” Mak’s brown eyes remained gentle, filled with his brotherly concern.

“But I’m not sure that’s what you’re really afraid of.

Are you more afraid of losing a possible relationship with him…

or that you will actually have to face the reality of one? ”

And there it was. The truth she hadn’t wanted to face and hoped he wouldn’t notice.

Fieran was a prince . The son of Prince Farrendel Laesornysh.

Nephew of King Averett and Queen Paige of Escarland, King Weylind and Queen Rheva of Tarenhiel, and King Rharreth and Queen Melantha of Kostaria.

Not to mention all his other famous relatives.

Fieran might not see that as an obstacle, but she certainly did.

If she spoke up—if she pushed for a relationship—then she had to be ready for all that a serious relationship with Fieran would mean.

It had been relatively easy to ignore how famous and connected he was while they had been off at Dar Goranth, even with meeting his Kostarian uncle and aunt.

There, Fieran had just been a first lieutenant.

Even here at Fort Defense with his dacha on base, Fieran was still just a Flying Corps captain. Their ranks were equal.

But once they left the army base? Then he was a prince, and she went back to being a nobody who grew up on the very edge of Tarenhiel’s forests.

Perhaps that was why she had been so willing to simply take Fieran’s decision not to pursue a relationship yet. She was too scared of what a relationship would mean to push for it.

But that wasn’t right. She needed to decide what she wanted. If she would never want the burden of fame and royal titles that came with Fieran, then she should let him go. It wasn’t fair to him to leave him in hope of a relationship someday.

Yet if she truly wanted Fieran, if she believed deep down that being with him would be worth all that came with him, then she needed to stop holding herself back.

Either way, she should speak up and stop this dance they were currently stuck in, both of them attracted to each other and yet neither willing to step forward.

“You’re probably right.” Pip sighed—that admission the most she would grant her meddling big brother—and called up her magic as she found the section of wire where she’d stopped.

“How come you think you know so much about all this? It isn’t like you’ve been in a serious relationship any more than I have. ”

“I’m your big brother. Having an opinion about your life comes with the territory.” Mak’s lopsided grin eased the tension from the moment, even as it twitched his thick brown beard. “More than that, I’ve paid attention to the various relationships I’ve seen succeed and fail over the years.”

There was that. But Pip wasn’t going to let her brother get away so easily with being right.

“Well, by your own logic, I shouldn’t let you railroad me either.” Pip crossed her arms and forced a stern look onto her face. “I’ll take your concerns under advisement, but I need to come to my own opinion on what to do.”

“Good for you.” Mak gave her a short nod, as if that was all he’d wanted from her in the first place.

That didn’t stop the churn in Pip’s stomach or the tightness in her chest.

She sneaked another glance at Fieran. He wasn’t looking at her, too busy being the center of attention at the moment .

What should she do about this whole not-relationship thing? Should she gather the courage to tell Fieran her thoughts on the matter? What even was her opinion? Was she too scared? Or was a future with him worth whatever price she’d have to pay?