Page 51 of This Blood That Breaks Us

“It’s not true. You can live without me.”

“I can’t. I really can’t.”

“Well, I couldn’t either.”

“You could. You just don’t want to.”

“Exactly. And I don’t care how selfish it is either.” He wiped his face. “If you go, I go. That’s the way it is.”

I couldn’t and he wouldn’t. I chuckled at the obvious dysfunction of it all.

We needed each other in different ways. He needed me to hope, and I needed him to accept me if I failed. I needed him to accept the worst part of me and the worst person I could ever become.

He didn’t understand that I was able to hope because he was there to shoulder my failure. With Zach, there was no hiding or bolstering. He accepted me as I was but loved me enough to protect the person I wanted to be. My brother loved me unconditionally, and in my worst moments, that’s what I clung to.

Even if I never improved and was stuck this way forever, I’d have my brother, and I was enough for him.

The door opened and we separated. Thane and William quickly made their way into the room. The glow of the fire was our only light.

“What happened?” Thane’s eyes softened.

“The usual,” I said. It was embarrassing for me to cry in front of people still.

“How the hell are you in here right now?” Zach said.

“You have Thane to thank for that. He’s become a little spy.” Will nudged Thane.

“I jammed the lock. The person who locks it doesn’t check it. It doesn’t matter. We’ve got exciting news.”

“It better actually be exciting,” Zach grumbled.

“There’s talk. Someone is moving and showing their hand. It wasn’t super clear, but they know someone is looking for them. We think it’s Kilian.”

“Who did you hear that from?”

“Sirius.” Thane raised an eyebrow. “He was talking with the queen.”

“How the hell did you manage something like that?”

“I-I . . . ”

“Oh no, tell them how,” William said, clenching his jaw.

“I might have snuck into the cathedral during their meeting today.” Thane fiddled with things on the fireplace to avoid eye contact with us.

“What the fuck?” Zach said.

“They’ll kill you if they find you in there,” I said.

“I told him.” William folded his arms.

“I know. I wanted to be helpful. And they don’t seem that concerned with Will and me. I came up with a theory. I think The Legion is coming. I think they know where we are.”

Will tapped his foot on the carpet. “They probably want them to come for us. We think they’re using us as bait to draw them out.”

“The prophecy did mention enemies.”

“You believe the prophecy now, Calem?” Will said.