Page 123 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

“I’m a happily mated male. Do not bring my past into this.”

“I want to know!” Kiera said playfully.

“I’ll tell you later,” Drystan leaned around me to say.

“Arsehole. She doesn’t need to hear stories of our exploits.”

“Maybe I want to!” Kiera sipped her ale.

“I like her already. When you leave again, don’t leave me here.”

“I’m not sure anyone is getting free from this place again.” I met his eyes, knowing we’d be watched closely. I had to be careful how I talked to him until we could find some privacy.

He shook his head. “After how they acted when you left, I don’t think you’ll convince them.”

I shrugged. “I have to try. They don’t want an army of the undead coming over the mountain rage.”

“If it’s going so poorly, why come back? You’ll be stuck under their watch now. You won’t get away easily.”

“Convincing them was not our reason for returning,” I said carefully. “That doesn’t mean I won’t try.”

“Then what was your reason?”

“I swore a blood oath in order to leave, and not telling Kierawhere I was from was hurting our bond. I had to bring her so that she could see for herself what I couldn’t tell her.” I lifted my chin, thumbing at it, giving him our old signal that I had a plan and I’d explain later.

“Well, I hope it was worth it,” Drystan muttered, settling with that much information for now.

I smiled at Kiera to let her know it was totally worth it to fix what was breaking between us. “It was, and it will be.”

She slipped her hand in mine. “Are you going to tell him?”

“I already did, in part.”

Her brows rose. “Just like Kol and Nyx. Fucking brothers.”

“I’m going to speak to Emrys and Faolan,” I told Drystan in a low voice.

“The elders won’t like that.” Drystan sat back, shaking his head. “Are you sure it will help your cause to mix with his kind?”

“He’s come a long way, and he’s exactly who we need to pull this off,” I said in a hushed tone.

“Sounds dangerous. I’m in.”

“I’d hoped you’d say so.”

“You didn’t doubt me, did you?”

“I’ve asked some things of you in the past, but this one is life-changing. I’d understand if you didn’t want to have anything to do with it.”

“We are family, brother.” He smiled. “Oh, speaking of family, I’d say you have less than an hour before the parents come knocking. I heard you were back from Silas and came running, but it will filter down to them with haste, and if they’ve heard you have a mate with you, you know they will be banging down your door.”

“At least they know how to knock.”

Drystan rolled his eyes. “I’m just saying you might want to put whatever that was I interrupted on ice because you are getting the full mother treatment any time now.”

“I’m going to meet your parents?” Kiera asked with a little fear and a little awe in her tone.

“Oh yeah,” Drystan delighted. “And they are going to want babies and everything.”

---