Page 124 of Hidden

“No, you’re not,” he said.

“And you’re not wrong.” Damen was still on the floor, glaring at the place where Bryce had retreated. “Let him wallow.”

“Itwaskind of harsh. Whether you believe it or not, hedoescare.” Brayden stood between me and the door, glancing at it, and me, nervously. “I should probably—”

“No.” I sighed. Gathering my composure, I pushed away from Julian. Though my gaze locked with Brayden only for a moment, I didn’t miss the surprise, and pride, in my brother’s eyes.

His acceptance made me feel better about my next actions.

“I’ll go talk to him myself.”

Bryce’s door was open still, just a crack. And I took the opportunity to peek through the gap. My heart pounded, and I couldn’t stop my stomach from twisting.

I’d never meant to push him this far, to hurt him. But he’d been mean, and I’d been embarrassed. I’d only wanted to make him feel the same way he’d made me feel.

I never thought it would feel this bad though.

The light on his side table was on, and the dim glow threw his face into shadows as he sat on the side of his small bed. His face was buried in his hands, and his shoulders slumped. And if I held my breath and listened hard enough, I could hear him muttering under his breath.

It felt like I was spying on him, and my breath caught. Guilt was guiding my actions now, and I pushed the door open. “Bryce?”

His head snapped up, eyes wild and unrestrained. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry…” I bit my lip, locking my hands together at my back. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“What?” He sounded confused at first, but then cleared his throat. “Oh, that.” He sighed. “No worries, I didn’t take it personally. Brayden said you might lash out, and I’m not known for being great with people.”

That was an understatement. But I was the same way, so I couldn’t judge.

“I didn’t hurt your feelings?” I asked.

“No,” Bryce replied, a frown heavy in his voice. “I needed a moment to think.”

Relief swelled in my chest. I hadn’t hurt his feelings. Bryce was tough and heartless. He drank poison for fun and probably had no soul. It would take a bulldozer to move his emotions. “What were you thinking about?”

“Our mother,” he said. “You reminded me of her. She would have liked you.”

His response floored me, and I tore my gaze from the ground. Of course, people thought about their parents all the time, that was to be expected. At least, I thought that was normal. I tried not to think about the couple who’d adopted me, and I knew almost nothing about the ones biologically related to me.

I didn’t even know their names.

But it wasn’t that which surprised me.

He’d saidourmother. Why did he keep saying it this way? He hardly knew me.

How was it so easy for him? I’d tried to call him my brother in my head, but it was difficult. It felt strange, so I avoided focusing on it.

In the same way I’d been trying not to face reality. My worst fears had come true—my birth mother was dead.

But it was stupid to settle for not having information. The answers to my questions had been in front of me all this time.

And his statement. How could he know? “Why do you think she’d like me?”

“She always wanted a girl, and she’d thought she’d never have one. Women aren’t commonly born in the higher ranking fae families. You’re a lot like her,” Bryce replied. “She loathed being sheltered and being told what to do. She’d put up with it but found small ways to rebel. Despite that, she was beautiful and graceful and feminine…” His words trailed off as his eyes ran over me critically.

My face was warm. This was the first time he’d said anything remotely nice to me—

“Well, therearedifferences,” he said. “I’m not certain that last part applies.”