Page 34 of The Vampire King's Victory

She surprised him by an earnest, searching glance. “You really think so?”

He knew, at this moment, that he could brush off her question with a joke and she would retreat into herself. But hewasn’t going to do that. He wasn’t going to undo all the progress they made for a cheap and cruel laugh.

He broke off from Christian and went to her. He took both of her hands in his. “Yes. But I understand about being uncertain. Being afraid of having all this responsibility. People counting on you. Thingsmattering.”

She slowly nodded. “It’s just been me for a long time, you know. Arcius didn’t rely upon me. Caemorn ordered me about. I never even took on a junior Confessor because I wanted to travel light.”

She shrugged almost helplessly. Her smile was a bit tremulous. He squeezed her hands.

“We’re not going to get used to this overnight,” he told her.

“No, of course not. But you, at least, have been leading a House,” she said. “You’ve been taking care of people for a long time.”

“It’s a House of misfit toys. They don’t expect much of me,” he said, feeling somehow exposed.

Her gaze, again searching and earnest which he had never truly associated with her, was upon him once more, “They’re wonderful misfits. You’re thebestmisfit.”

“Indeed.” He tried to look ridiculously proud, but it sort of collapsed on itself.

“You’ve stepped right up, Balthazar. I don’t think you’ve even noticed. But from the very beginning, you’ve been willing to do whatever it takes,” she told him.

“You’re making me blush,” he said with a shake.

“You love compliments,” she reminded him with a grin.

“But when they’re coming from you they’re true,” he explained and felt that rawness of emotion he didn’t like to show.

She saw it and there were bright tears in her eyes, but she was smiling and he felt true warmth and friendship from her. An understanding.

“It’ll be all right,” she said. “We’ll do it together. We’ll figure this out.”

He nodded, unable to speak for just a moment, before he said, “I’m sorry.”

She blinked at him, completely confused. But Arcius wasn’t, even though his old friend wasn’t looking into his mind at all. He knew what Balthazar was saying. What he’d said in the past, but not as well. He wanted to reiterate it here when they were both on the cusp of something amazing and didn’t need one another.

“I’m sorry I was an ass. I’m sorry we wasted all this time being enemies when we should have been friends,” he said. “I was terribly jealous of you. I was afraid I’d lose Arcius to you and I couldn’t…” His throat was tight. “I couldn’t… after Roan… I just couldn’t…”

She touched his cheek. “You’re not the only one. Both of us were jealous of the other. So stupid. I should have been there with you and Arcius, resigning from the Order. It was wrong. I knew what Roan had been doing was terrible, but I didn’t want to get involved!” She put a hand to her forehead. “God, when I look back on it, I can’t believe I was so cruel.”

“You were afraid,” he said. “Afraid of losing all that you’d worked for. I had nothing to lose.”

She shook her head. “It was not my best hour. It haunts me now.”

“But it’s the past. We can let it go,” he told her and let out a breath. That scent in the air was stronger. It was pleasant like night flowers, cool stone and water. “We start here and we go forward.”

She lifted her head. “Yes. I want that so much.”

“Are you really not going to take me to Eyros Palace?” He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Now that we’ve fully cleared the air? For friendship’s sake?”

She laughed, her laughter like music, and wrapped his arm. “No! Because I wouldn’t deprive you of a wonderful walk with Christian through our home. Now, get going or I’ll make you carry Sophia’s bags!”

Balthazar glanced over at Sophia. She was crying, but happily. Even Seeyr was dabbing her cheeks with a cloth. Arcius was outright beaming. Christian was giving him this approving, loving look that had him standing taller. Caemorn was staring at the tomb, pretending not to be there. Elgar was, of course, looking lovingly down at his skull and smiling.

Fiona went over to Seeyr and Sophia. She put her hands on their shoulders and said, “Don’t worry, Balthazar, I’ll have things well in hand. All precious things--including your underwear--will make it to the Eyros palace.”

“I would expect nothing less,” he told her.

And the three of them disappeared. He turned back to Arcius.

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