“A favor,” Caldren repeated carelessly. “A favor in return. You’re asking my friends and me to go into a situation so dangerous that it is likely that we’ll die there. If we don’t, and Pend has a clue we were involved, he’ll certainly slaughter my friends for stealing his prisoners. There’s nothing he values so much. And you’re going to offer me what, exactly, that is equal in return?”
“I can help you,” I said stiffly.
Caldren’s grin sharpened in a way that I didn’t like. “Oh, so we could do a brother and brother trip into father’s dungeons, just like old friends again. Pulling a small heist together. Is that the idea?”
“I’d be willing.” Grudgingly, I offered an appeal to Caldren’s ridiculous ego. “If you thought that was the best way to get in and out of the dungeon.”
Caldren’s shift in mood was almost imperceptible; if I hadn’t known him well, I would’ve missed it. My brother was pleased I’d have to depend on him.
“It’s an interesting problem,” he mused. “I’ve stayed away from the dungeons when I had my own interests there. But the question of Honor’s past… it’s worth the risk.”
I had to hear him say it. “You’ll help.”
“You sound so surprised. Of course I’ll help. It’s for Honor.” Caldren spoke it as if it was ridiculous there had ever been any question.
“You weren’t giving me very helpful vibes a few minutes ago.”
He waved off that complaint. “For now, I’d like to see our girl.”
I gritted my teeth. I would let him say our girl as often as he needed to, as long as I got what I needed from him.
“Yes, for Honor’s sake. Let’s go see our girl,” I agreed.
I was rewarded with Caldren’s bright and sunny smile, which I definitely did not return.
Chapter
Forty
Honor
Talisyn and I were trying to play cards again, but neither of us could focus when we knew Caldren and Jaik were arguing. I couldn’t hear their conversation from this side of the castle, but I listened for thuds, crashes, and other sounds of fratricide.
Arren was ignoring us both as he sipped a cup of mead, sprawled out on the couch behind us. I sat on the floor and if I leaned back against the couch, the two of us could’ve touched. Arren was strangely intrigued by the cracks in the ceiling, but hey, everyone has their hobbies.
“He’s like a cat,” Talisyn whispered to me. “He’s happiest when you ignore him.”
It felt strangely cozy having both of them so close.
Then Caldren swaggered into the room. His dark hair was damp from melting snow, his high cheekbones still flushed red—from the cold or from anger. He flashed me his usual big smile though, the one that lit his brown eyes. I dropped my cards and jumped up to hug him.
“Evening, Honor. It sounds like I’m going on a little mission for you.” He squeezed me tight. He looked past me to Arren and Talisyn. “Evening, gentlemen.”
I brushed my lips over the hollow under his cheekbone. “I’ve missed you.”
Caldren’s usual bright smile shifted into something else. “You’re too sweet, Honor. More than any of us deserve.”
“Speak for yourself,” Talisyn drawled. He poured two drinks and carried one over to Caldren, holding it out.
“Not poisoned?” Caldren took it from him.
“Not today.”
I took it from Caldren’s hand and drank half, then handed it to him with a smile. “Not worth taking any chances.”
“Come to think of it, Tal, you’re right. She’s exactly what you deserve—probably the one person who can keep you on your toes.”
There was movement behind me and I turned to find Arren lifting the bottle from the bar. I thought maybe he was going to pour a round, but he merely carried the bottle back to the sofa. Apparently he needed more alcohol to tolerate our flirting. Without Jaik here, Talisyn and Caldren seemed to fall back into joking.
“I need to talk to you,” I told Caldren.
“Always at your service,” he answered, “but Jaik won’t like that very much.”
“I’m not terribly worried about what Jaik would like at the moment,” I said crisply.
I didn’t want to hurt him, but their feud was ridiculous. The Olds would grind us under their heels if they could; the princes needed to focus. They needed to unite. They were both so powerful, but they needed to summon a new kind of strength if we were going to survive.
Caldren shifted his weight impatiently, as if my scolding had landed but he didn’t know what to do with it. “I need to get back to camp. I’ve got to put the wolves through their paces tomorrow, then hopefully I can make an excuse to go back to the academy. I need to begin preparing for our trip into the dungeons.”
“You should stay,” I said. “I really need to talk to you tonight.”
Caldren looked at me curiously, but not as curiously as Talisyn.
“All right,” Caldren said. “I’m always at your service, always.”
Jaik walked into the room just then. The air seemed to be suctioned out of the room when he walked in—he was big, imposing and clearly irritated by the very existence of his brother. He glanced at me, a flash in his eyes looked like betrayal. Then turned to Caldren. “Aren’t you supposed to be on your way back to the encampment?”
“I’m staying tonight. We have much to talk about and I’ll have to leave the encampment tomorrow night, to steal Alis back for Honor.” Caldren fixed me with a smile that might be intended to taunt Jaik.
“You can’t just leave. Father will hear about it.”
“Are you really worried that Father’s going to know what I’m up to? I thought you didn’t care if you got me killed or not.”
I looked at Jaik and willed him to just say he did care. Just the smallest sign of worry about his brother’s wellbeing. Jaik remained stubbornly silent.
“All right,” I sighed. “Both of you exasperate me, but Caldren is staying with me tonight. Maybe eventually you two will realize you’re not enemies.”
Jaik looked at me as if I were ridiculous. “Caldren is rebelling against the throne. He plans to overthrow the entire monarchy. I’m the monarchy. He’s definitely the enemy.”
Caldren rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it.
“If you guys are so insistent on me being chained to someone at night, I’m going to stay with Cal. And then tomorrow I’ll stay with you, Jaik.”
Jaik looked as if he had just swallowed actual glass. “As you wish,” he said crisply.
It was such a mirror of his brother’s words that I had to wonder if Jaik had been eavesdropping. Nothing would surprise me.
“I am really going to need the two of you to get yourselves together,” I said sweetly. “This childish rivalry is exhausting.”
In my room, Caldren dropped a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor next to my bed. I’d been wondering what he was thinking, and relief shot through me when he smiled at me. He didn’t say a word as he lay down.
The two of us shared silly small talk. When I went quiet, he fell asleep—far more easily than I did. I slept fitfully, waking up as the clock on the mantle softly chimed. Midnight.
The second I shook his shoulder, his eyes widened, meeting mine.
“Light sleeper,” I commented.
“I have to be.” He curled to sit up, propping one elbow on his knee. The blankets slid down, revealing the chiseled planes of his chest in the soft moonlight, and I tried not to stare. “Occupational hazard.”