Page 22 of Of Nine So Bold

Oh for the gods’ sakes, did he think me a fool? I knew that wasn’t true.

At my disbelieving expression, Clay scoffed and motioned to his brother. Lars rode closer, followed by Dex and Byron.

Which was just lovely. Maybe they couldallact like I was an idiot, and then this could get even more fucked up.

I struggled to bury my frustration. Regardless of what they did, I knew damn well that I owed them all an apology and apromise this wouldn’t happen again, even if that meant leaving once Niko was safe.

Might as well get it over with.

Clay beat me to it. “Roan here thinks this shit is his fault.”

Well, I supposed that saved me any preamble. “I know I caused all this trouble to?—”

“This is the Aneirans,” Byron cut in like it was obvious and he couldn’t understand how I’d missed that. “Theytook Niko.”

“Yes, but?—”

Clay made a rude noise. “What, like you helped them?”

“No, but he was in the forest because I?—”

“None of us went after him when he stormed off,” Byron pointed out. “Would you prefer we blame ourselves for that?”

“Of course not.”

“Then you’re being illogical, my friend.”

My mouth opened and then closed, words failing me. “I… I’m not being illogical. I know this happened because I?—”

Dex cut in. “Things went wrong because we didn’t talk to each other, Roan. That’s it. We didn’t trust each other.”

And gods, ifthatdidn’t cut like a knife.

I winced, ashamed.

“But we don’t fix that by focusing on the past,” he continued. “We fix that by taking different steps in the future. Right?”

The others nodded, and I swallowed hard, doing the same.

“Well, okay, then,” Clay announced. “You hiding any more secret monsters inside you?”

I shook my head.

Lars gave me a smile, the expression filled with all the familiar optimism that I’d never understood how he possessed. “Apology accepted, then.”

“I…” Oh, fuck, I was getting choked up. I swallowed again and pushed the words out as evenly as I could. “Thank you.”

Clay shrugged. “We’re family.”

My chest ached at the words, the sensation sharp and painful and yet warm. There was no way inhellI could trust my voice if I tried to speak again.

Family…

It’s all I wanted. All I thought I’d lose if the truth came to light.

And here they were offering it to me anyway.

Settling for a grunt of agreement, I nodded tightly.

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