Page 111 of The Gathering

Dorian paused for a moment, and she could see the mockery in his features as he faux contemplated her words.

“Yes.”

She shoved him sideways again, and he fell off balance laughing at her.

“What— if you think we’ll ever think anyone is good enough for you, you’re wrong,” he told her.

Nyssa’s eyes rolled as he fell in step with her once more. “As if a broken heart would be the end of me,” she mumbled.

“Rest assured you’ll never have to feel the pain of one,” he promised.

Her jaw clenched at the overprotectiveness of him, and she wrapped her arms over her chest. Though as her knees began to wobble, she grabbed ahold of him again.

Dorian laughed. “Do you need me to carry you again?”

“Possibly,” she admitted.

“How many times this morning?” Dorian grinned.

“Ah… Apparently, he can breathe underwater—“

Dorian almost tripped. “What?”

“Yes, so that was interesting,” Nyssa said, almost laughing at Dorian’s face.

“Oh shit,” Dorian said. “I need to go to the Umber.”

“What about you?” she asked, keen on changing the subject. “Who graced your bed these past two nights?”

“Ah…” His hand ran through his hair, and he scratched the back of his neck. “You know. The usual,” he muttered, kicking a fabric that was on the floor up and into his hands.

She could see the sigh in his features, the unusual quietness possessing him. “What? I would have thought you’d welcomed this week with the new blood pouring through our home.”

His brows raised in agreement as he fumbled with the fabric he’d picked up, eyes staring at it in an almost hypnotic way. “True. New blood was nice—you know, the Blackhand women were rather fun…” His voice trailed, and then he tossed the fabric back over his shoulder and onto the ground again. “But… I don’t know, Nys,” he sighed, hands shoving into his pockets. “Don’t you ever get tired of the constant feeling like you’re on display?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… I mean don’t you ever feel like you’re having to be someone else? Don’t you ever want something more than this place?” he asked with a sigh. “Sitting around, constantly training simply because we’re bored—well now because apparently we’re going to war, but… Fucking nearly the same people every night. The constant pressure of coming up with new tricks to surprise them—”

She laughed out loud at his musings, knowing despite the beginning of his rant that he was incapable of keeping any conversation serious.

“Who knew my brother had a heart capable of feeling such things?” she mocked.

He chuckled under his breath, staring at the floor as they walked. “Will you travel to see him?”

“I’ve barely traveled anywhere. Can’t imagine what our sister would say if I told her I wanted to travel six days south to see a man she disapproves of—well, to see any man really,” she said. “Seems excessive.”

He laughed and pushed his elbow out for her to wrap her arm in, to which she sighed and did.

“Who knows, we may be traveling there quicker than we think,” she said softly. “What with these strangers.”

His hand wrapped around hers, and he gave her a small smile. “You know I would never let anything happen to you, right?”

“I don’t need you to protect me, brother,” she assured him.

“Doesn’t change my statement,” he promised.

“Where is Corbin?” she asked, realizing he was without his Second.