Page 41 of A World of Ruins

The answer must be clearly written across my face because he quickly adds, ‘Look, I think it’s best if I stay away from him. At least for now.’

Guilt consumes him as he looks directly at the bed and not me.

I sigh a big breath, surrendering to the vexation I felt previously. ‘He still loves you.’ His jade eyes flicker up at me. ‘Whatever Aurum taught him to believe doesn’t mean he stopped being your brother.’

‘Stepbrother,’ he rectifies with a frown.

I give him a pointed stare. ‘You’re making this really difficult, you know that?’

The first form of a smile marks his lips, and though we are far from how we once used to be, I surprise him with a closed-mouth laugh.

‘I know,’ he says, a smile lingering through his words. ‘Just . . . take it easy, Nara. We’ll get there with him. I think he might even be as stubborn as you, if not more so.’

I roll my eyes. ‘He wishes.’

Lorcan taps his hand against the wooden post of the bed twice and chuckles before walking backwards towards the door.

Tipping my head to the side, I watch him in curiosity and think back to what Leira once said.

‘A beast no less, though a heart of gold.’

I’m starting to see that maybe thatbeasthas always been Lorcan without us knowing.

‘Ah, Lorcy!’ Rydan stumbles through the doorway, almost face-planting into Lorcan. He rears back, grinning as he looks Lorcan up and down. ‘You look . . . well?’

Lorcan’s face is an unreadable mask as he tersely mutters, ‘Get out of the way, Rydan,’ and strides away.

My lips contort into a grimace as Rydan approaches. ‘And I thoughtmyflirting skills were bad.’

‘Ambrose, there’s a difference between your flirting and mine.’ He drops onto the bed, nearly crushing me as he leans against my legs. He points. ‘Youcan’t;Ican, just not when I actually do like someone.’

Ouch.

‘And yet it never worked with me.’ I try to push him off me, but he remains firmly in place.

He just clicks his tongue and smirks instead. ‘Yet. I give it five years before you’re obsessed with me. It’s in my five-yearGet Ambrose to Love Meplan.’

‘There won’tbeany five years if you keep cutting off the circulation in my legs.’

He looks down just as I manage to wriggle my legs free and promptly raise them to my chest, using the motion to shove Rydan off the bed. He hits the floor with a thud, and before he can make a complaint, Arlayna’s gentle knock on the side of the door cuts him off.

I invite her in with a smile while Rydan struggles to get up from the floor. He rubs his rear end with a pinched expression, and I ignore him, turning my attention to Arlayna. I try to get up, but she shakes her head, lightly touching me by the shoulders as she pushes me back down.

‘Goodness, Nara,’ she scolds with atsk. ‘You know how dangerous Galgrs are. We should never have come.’

‘It was worth it,’ I grumble as she holds on to my wrist and I stare up into the grey clouds of her eyes. ‘How else would I know Aurum is slowly decaying?’

Her brows furrow, a hint of uncertainty crossing her features. ‘Listen, Nara, it pains me to say this, but . . . ’ She pauses,sighing. ‘If you ever need an ally, Kirian would be your next hope, more than the people of Undarion.’

I stay quiet.

‘Even with the possibility that Aurum may be suffering from the Isle’s consequences, he has still taken most of our soldiers. So just . . .’ She bites her lip. ‘Think about it.’

I can see the weight of the stress bearing down on her, not just for me but for her family and her people back in Olcar.

Covering her hand with mine, I offer a soft, reassuring glance. ‘I will,’ I whisper. ‘Thank you, truly. Not just for this but for everything you have done for us.’

She smiles, aiming her eyes at the floor, and begins to speak, but Aeron’s voice interrupts, calling out to her.

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