Page 156 of Heat of the Everflame

I squeezed his arm. “You have every right to feel the way you feel. No one is owed your forgiveness, not even Aemonn. But you have so much love and kindness in that big heart of yours... maybe Aemonn needs you to be the kind of brother to him that he wasn’t strong enough to be for you.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“And also—Zalaric isn’t Aemonn, and you shouldn’t hold your issues with your brother against him.”

He let out another loud groan and stood up, grabbing me off the couch and throwing me over his shoulder. “That’s it, I’m finding a balcony to toss you over.”

I squealed with laughter and beat my palms against his back in protest as he marched me to the door of my suite and pulled it open.

“Morning.”

I stilled at the sound of Luther’s voice.

“You look like shit,” Taran said. I wriggled to get free, but he held me in place. “Did you get drunk without me?”

“Hardly. I’m still recovering from the last time I joined you for a night out.”

Taran barked a laugh.

“Hello?” I called out, squirming in his grasp.

“Cousin, do you mind putting Her Majesty down?” Luther asked. “As much as I’m enjoying this view, I’m rather partial to her face.”

Taran slid me off his shoulder and deposited me on the ground. I whacked my palm against his arm and glared at his smirk, then turned—and froze.

Luther lookedterrible.

He was slumped against his doorframe, his head drooping with the effort of staying up. Stringy, rumpled hair had matted to his forehead. The dark circles beneath his eyes were stark against his sallow skin, which sagged from his bones like melting wax.

Even at his lowest, Luther had always burned with a spark from within. The man staring back at me now looked hollow. A candle blown out.

“Good morning, my Queen.” He smiled, but it was all wrong.

I must have looked like a trout, staring with large eyes and an open mouth, no words coming out.

His focus shifted to Taran. “Could I have a word with Her Majesty alone?”

Taran threw an arm around my neck, planting an obnoxiously wet kiss on my temple. “Thanks for the sleepover, Queenie. It was a night I’llneverforget.” He winked at Luther and clapped a hand on his shoulder before strolling away with a laugh.

Luther grimaced and braced himself against the wall.

“Are you hurt?” I asked.

He straightened with some effort. “I haven’t been sleeping well.”

I frowned. He’d slept most of yesterday, and a full night of rest both days prior. After our time on the road, the last few nights had been a luxury.

“I left some food for you,” I said.

“I saw.” He shifted his weight. “Thank you.”

“We missed you last night.” I took a step closer. “Imissed you.”

He hung his head and closed his eyes, allowing the silence to hang for a painfully long moment. “Diem, we need to talk.”

“I know,” I blurted out, all my feelings suddenly bubbling up in my chest. “I agree.”

“I wanted to wait until we were back in Lumnos—”

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