Page 97 of Bitten

Theis tilted his head, looking down. “The king doesn’t care for Cannon.”

“I wonder why,” Ralnur said, lifting a brow. “Maybe he sensed the issue already. Either way, the king needs to know there’s a problem.”

“And I’m just to take the word of your elf?” Theis demanded, rising to his feet. “A known drug smuggler? Versus a guardsman who’s been in the service of the king for nearly a decade?”

Caelian’s head fell forward. “I made one mistake. Have you never made a mistake? One you regretted with your whole heart?”

“One? Which one? The drugs or the theft of Kane’s property?” Theis asked.

Ralnur slid from the bed and eyed Theis. “I will remind you I am a prince of this city. I have spent my entire life in service to the crown. If my nephew is potentially in danger from his own guard, he needs to know. Even if it’s untrue, he needs to hear it so he can make up his own mind.”

Theis eyed him. “I won’t bother him with bullshit accusations.”

“Didn’t you tell me that you hadn’t told my nephew the extent of my condition?”

Theis glared at him.

“And how did he take it when you finally told him the truth—assuming you did tell him the truth.”

“Of course I did,” Theis cried before turning to look at Caelian a moment. “Fine. I’ll let the king know Caelian has urgent information and let the elf tell our sovereign himself. I won’t repeat this nonsense.”

“As long as he hears it,” Ralnur said. “That’s all that matters.”

Theis left them, storming through the doors.

Once they were alone, he returned to the bed and sat on the edge beside Caelian.

“I truly only wanted to save him,” the elf said.

Ralnur took his hand and squeezed it. “I believe you.”

Caelian shook his head. “Too bad Kane won’t. He called me a thief and said he would punish me for my crimes.”

Ralnur brushed a few strands of Caelian’s hair away from his face, truly getting his first look at how handsome the elf was. “Time heals all wounds. He’ll come around.” If we can save him from himself.

Caelian met Ralnur’s stare, a half smile on his lips. “How strange this is… to feel as if I know you. That I can trust you… when we’ve never met.”

“We’ve met… in a very unique way. I saw you through Kane’s eyes. And through your own, in his blood memories from you. It is all rather unbelievable. And remarkable.”

“I saw you through his memories, too. And I felt a bond there from the start.”

“I did as well,” Ralnur murmured. How could two strangers feel as if they’d known one another for decades? “I can see the real you. Not the assumption of who you are because of a few mistakes.”

“I wish I’d never made them. They both started an avalanche of bad luck and horrors.”

Ralnur smiled. “Not all terrible. At least, I hope it’s not. It led you to Kane… and me.”

Caelian’s stare flipped to his. “I hadn’t considered that. Are you trying to tell me I had to go through this hell to find you both?”

Ralnur smiled and lowered his head some. “Perhaps we all had to go through some kind of hell to get here.” His smile faded. Not that I think I get to go much farther.

He’d lived a life of terrible misfortune himself. So had Kane.

Was this bond they shared only another of those misfortunes?

A love denied?

Love?

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