Page 130 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

Jade and Alora were already there—standing back to back with swords positioned in front of them. Much to his relief, though they did not need them, his Dragons, training and sparring, surrounded them.

The High Guard crowded around the arena and courses teeming with ropes, climbing walls, and swinging wooden beams. Walking tightropes and bridges, ripping battle axes and broadswords from the weapon racks. Some were bloodied, caught in a fury of swinging fists.

In the reflection of the glass, he watched Thalon, who lay in a window seat, boots propped against the stone wall, twist upward and stand. The warmth of Thalon’s presence hit him before that strong shoulder dug into the stones on the side opposite of Garrik’s window.

Thalon extended a crystal glass while holy fire simmered in his objectionable gaze. “This is a foolish idea.”

Garrik accepted the glass with an appreciative nod and drank. As expected, it did nothing to settle the rage constricting his veins. He said nothing, only sighed and returned his gaze out the window.

“You could kill him.”

What would be so terrible about killing Ezander?he scoffed, finding satisfaction in the very thought.

Thalon did not find it so amusing.

On the floor behind them, Aiden groaned low and rough and bent up a knee before the back of his arm dropped over his face. “Some wretched little pixie is playing target practice inside my head.” He groaned again as his boot scuffed the night-dark hardwood and flattened his leg.

Garrik pushed from the stones and walked across the floor. Crouching, he extended the glass to Aiden and finally said, “Drink.”

Without argument, Aiden pulled it to his lips. Revulsion twisted his features the moment he swallowed. “Bloody hells,” he cursed and examined Garrik’s glass. “What the devil is that?”

The crystal dropped to the hardwood like Aiden could not be rid of it fast enough when Thalon chuckled and answered, “The locals call it water.”

Aiden’s face twisted. “That’s disgusting.” And dropped his head to the floorboards.

Garrik shook his head and stood, turning to Thalon, who had his attention fixed out of the window. Up close, that golden glow regarded a dark female with pearlescent wings in the gardens. Something unsettling tightened his Guardians lips, lethal judgment perhaps, before Garrik acknowledged Thalon’s earlier thought. “Are you not the one vowed to stop me from making foolish decisions?”

That tore his critical gaze away. “I have a hard enough time keeping him”—Thalon gestured his head to Aiden—“out of trouble. You should be wise enough to know the stupidity of your decisions.”

“You are angry,” Garrik noted.

Thalon scoffed and returned his attention to the female.

Garrik crossed his arms and leaned against the stones. “Am I to allow the bastard to spin a false narration as to his involvement?” His jaw tightened to where his teeth ached when Thalon said nothing. “What would you have me do, then?”

“Not kill him.”

“He deserves it.”

“Are we certain of that?” A low growl of warning rumbled from Garrik’s chest, but Thalon weathered it and reasoned, “Think of the consequences if you kill the princeling. You go on the warpath and kill Kadamar’s eldest male heir, and Ladomyr will stop at nothing until he finds revenge. And that could verywell include Magnelis’s attention for the sake of his most loyal ally. There is too much at stake.”

Thalon held his stare as Garrik studied his face.

Starsdamnit.There was no point in arguing his selfish intentions. Though he wanted—no.Wantedwas too calm a word. The desire burning in every kernel of his body to relieve Ezander’s neck of his head was something all-consuming.

Thalon was right, regardless. The risks to his legion, to everyone in it and those protected outside it, to those he brought to this castle, were far too great.

“Do you always have to be the voice of reason?” Garrik grumbled in a way that let Thalon know he agreed.

A smile as bright as sunlight widened on his Guardian’s face. “Love you too, brother.”

Garrik palmed Thalon’s shoulder and ignored the urge to rub the ache from his chest. “I cannot withdraw from the fight,” he stated flatly. The Savage Prince wouldneverdo so. But with the serpent’s magic inside him, sparring with bladeswouldturn lethal. “And I will not entertain an audience with him. What other alternatives do we have remaining?” It was reckless, he admitted, the position he had put them in.

Thalon pondered a moment. “We could have Aiden fight him.”

“Cursed hells. I battled enough for my life last night.” Aiden dropped his arm to the hardwood with a hardthunkand exhaled a long breath. “If you see that bronze-skinned beauty, tell her my cock fell off.” He shuddered and added, “Kadamarian females. Either I’m growing old or they are bred with the stamina of the sea. I think I’m done fucking for a while.”

Deep bursts of male laughter echoed across the room.

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