Mari never said a word about it. Nor did he try to befriend anyone else. I am loyal to you, alone, Darling. They are untrusted.
His mistrust had only grown when he saw how viciously their classmates had turned on Darling when Darling, to save his mother’s life for an affair that would have seen her executed, had claimed her male lover as his. After that, Maris had never trusted anyone with anything about him that could cause harm to his body or heart.
It was why the two of them were closer than brothers. Why Darling could kill anyone who caused harm to Maris.
Darling’s thoughts returned to the present as he stared into Ture’s eyes. In all these years, Ture was the only one Maris had ever given his heart to.
That alone told him how much Maris loved Ture. “As scared as I was, I knew Maris was even more so. And I couldn’t stand by and watch him be hurt.”
“You’re a good man, Darling.”
He scoffed at Ture’s praise. “Not really. Flawed like everyone else. But I try. And I’m just grateful that Crispin went to the same academy I did, otherwise I’d have never met Maris. And I shudder at what would have become of us had we not found each other. I know I wouldn’t have made it through without him.”
“He feels the same way about you, Darling. And now I understand exactly why. I can’t imagine how awful that had to be for him.”
“Yeah, it was harsh. While the rest of us went home for holidays and breaks, Maris couldn’t. His family was only allowed to visit with League chaperones, and only for a few hours at a time. Which they very seldom did.” And then it was only to threaten him. “Meanwhile, after our regular classes ended, he spent another six hours a day with Phrixian tutors who continued his lessons that contradicted everything our academy drilled into him. Talk about homework . . . You can’t imagine the workload he carried, and he wasn’t allowed to slack off or do badly in any subject, either human or Phrixian.”
“Why not?”
“Honor. To fail or allow a human to outdo him would shame his family. He would go days without sleeping, just so that he could keep up.”
Ture winced. No wonder Maris seldom tired, and never complained about staying the long hours they did at the restaurant. He was used to it. “Did he never get a break?”
“Sometimes. Because of our friendship, my father intervened as best he could between the League, Phrixians and Ultarans so that Maris would be allowed to stay with us, or visit. For seven years, we did a pretty good job running interference.”
“Only seven?”
Darling’s eyes turned dark with grief. “My father was assassinated when I was twelve. And though some of the loopholes he’d set up for Mari that allowed him to visit remained, my uncle wanted me isolated. He made it clear that he’d rather Maris stay away. So for two and a half years, he was left at the academy without me. It’s something he never talks about, so I know it had to be bad for him.”
“And after that he went into the Phrixian armada.”
Darling nodded. “That, too, was a nightmare for him. Because he’d been ‘humanized’ by something he’d been forced to do against his will, the Phrixians went out of their way to punish him for it. They perceived him as weak and tainted by his time with the Ultarans. It’s why his father chose a non Phrixian to marry him. He didn’t want Maris shaming his family with his human sympathies and effeminate ways. Nor did he want one of his other ‘pure’ sons tainted by the stench of a human.”
“How did Maris stand it?”
Darling laughed bitterly. “Mostly, he lashed out. He was angry all the time back then. Furious at his father, his family. Sometimes even me. It was what made him such a great warrior. He’d unleash that fury and beat the hell out of anyone who got near him.”
Ture drew a ragged breath as he finally understood the two contradictory sides of Maris’s personality, and how he could swing from flirting to vicious killer so fast. “You know, I used to hate you so much. I spent countless hours cursing everything about you and your royal family. Wishing you were all dead and gone... I’m sorry, Darling. I shouldn’t have judged you or hated you, when I knew nothing about your character or situation. And I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for Maris. I totally get his devotion now.”
Darling gave him a sad smile. “Maris and I have been to hell and home together. Back to back, we have defended each other with everything we possess. Anytime we needed to turn to someone, we called each other. Until today. When he thought he was dying, it was your voice he wanted to hear last. Not mine. Honestly, a part of me is a little hurt. I’ve never had to share him before with anyone. But I love him enough to let him go. His happiness means everything to me.”
“Me, too.”
Darling hugged him close. “Thank you for calling me.”
“Thank you for saving him.”
He pulled back and offered his hand to Ture. “Brothers?”
“Brothers.”