Page 91 of The Throne's Undoing

"As you keep reminding me," Terin mumbled.

Graeson stared at him. "Do you not care for her safety?"

"It is not only her safety that I must look after," Terin argued.

Graeson huffed and flicked his hand in the air. "Oh, right. Because now that you are heir, her safety does not matter when it comes to the kingdom." He shoved Terin in the chest. "You are just like Esmeray."

Terin pushed his hand. "You're not listening, Graeson."

"No,you'renot. What if it hadn't worked?"

He spun in a circle, his anger and frustration compiling on top of one another without anywhere to go. Graeson pressed his hands against his temples before flinging them out wide. "Fuck! What if it didn't? She hasn't even spoken yet!"

Terin grabbed Graeson by the shoulders, forcing him to a stop. Graeson snarled, his nose twitching, but Terin only gripped Graeson's shoulders tighter, not painfully but with enough tension to coax Graeson to meet his gaze.

For a moment, Terin didn't say anything as his dark brown eyes bore into Graeson. Then, Terin shook him gently. "She has been through a lot. I only saw a sliver of her memories, but the things Domitius did to her..." Terin shook his head, his words trailing off. "She will get better, Gray. She only needs time."

"You do not know that." Gods, none of them did.

Terin offered him a sad smile. "My sister is many things, but she is not a quitter."

Graeson scoffed, but he knew Terin was right. Even as a child, Kalisandre was too stubborn to quit.

Sensing Graeson's shift in emotions, Terin pressed his forehead against Graeson's before pulling away. "I am sorry for keeping our intentions from you," he said softly.

Graeson exhaled a heavy sigh, forcing his shoulders to relax. He shook his head. "No, you are not."

Terin chuckled. "You're right. I'm not, but her state is not your burden to bear."

Graeson shifted further away. "Neither is it yours."

Terin shrugged. "These days, I have many burdens I must carry. What's another?"

Graeson took a step back to observe Terin. "Are you at least sleeping?"

He lifted a shoulder. "A little. The healers gave me a supplement to take to help."

"Have you taken it?"

"Once."

Graeson snorted. "Seems like it. The bags beneath your eyes are onlyslightlypurple now."

"Was that a joke, Gray?"

Graeson rolled his eyes.

"What?" Terin asked, shoving Graeson lightly. "You've been so uptight since we got Kallie from Frenzia that it's nice to see you normal for a change."

"I am anything but normal," Graeson countered.

"Perhaps, but I mean it all the same." Terin shifted on his feet, his gaze flicking quickly to the infirmary down the hall. "Look--"

"Terin, don't. Not right now."

But the prince only crossed his arms and arched a brow.

Graeson sighed and moved to the wall, pressing his head against it.

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