Page 39 of Until the Stars Fall

Connor

Once Lieke disappeared down the stairs, I hurried toward the king’s study and opened the door without bothering to knock. Darkness greeted me.

Along with a firm punch to my jaw.

I grunted, stumbling into the room and kicking the door closed behind me, only to have two strong hands shove me back against it.

“What the fuck was that?” Brennan growled.

Rubbing my jaw, I pushed past him and headed for the desk. “You know what,” I answered before striking a match to light the lamp. I turned to find him scowling at me. Slowly, his lips shifted into an amused smirk.

“I didn’t think you had it in you,” he said with a huffed laugh.

I narrowed my eyes at him in question.

Brennan slowly walked forward, shaking his head. “Lying. The great Prince Connor, commander of the royal armies, protector of all”—he waved a hand in the air with mock reverence—“told a lie.” He gasped and placed his hand over his heart. “What would Mother think?”

My teeth slammed together. He knew exactly how to push me, and I hated it. I drew in a long breath to ease my temper, refusing to take the bait as I had too many times in the past.

Dropping my head to one side, I considered him for a moment and asked, “Whatwouldshe think, Brennan, about you consorting with a damned servant in that room?”

My words missed the mark, though, and he shrugged, leaning forward a bit.

“We’re just friends—”

“Do you attempt to kiss all yourfriends?”

He ignored my question. “And I think Mother would be fine with it. I mean, she was fine with every other time Lieke and I were together in there.”

Exasperated, I stepped toward him. “But you weren’t about to propose to another back then. You weren’t commanded to marry someone else back then! If she were here, she’d be—”

“She’d be convincing our father to find another way, Connor!” His arms flew up at his sides.

He couldn’t be serious.

He couldn’t be this stupid.

I shook my head in disbelief, laughing quietly as I stared at him.

“You really believe that?” I asked.

He didn’t respond, but his eye twitched slightly. His jaw tightened.

I softened my voice as best I could. “She would have ensured you did as you were told, because she understood the meaning of sacrifice.”

Brennan lifted his chin and peered down his nose at me. “When did you become such a momma’s boy?”

Stars, I wanted to hit him. My hand had already balled itself into a fist, but I took another calming breath, refusing to let him goad me.

“If it wasn’t for her, I would have stopped caring about you a long time ago.”

“She’s gone. You don’t have to give two shits about me anymore. Why bother?” he asked, his eyes wild with frustration.

“Because I promised her I would. It was the last thing she asked of me, and I couldn’t refuse,” I said quietly.

Brennan’s eyes fell closed, and he exhaled sharply. For a long moment, he was silent. Finally, he dropped his chin to his chest and asked, “That’s why you always stepped in? Why you took all my punishments for me?”

“Yes.”

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