Page 123 of Threadbound

Bran nodded again, something that might have been relief on his face alongside the emotion. Jamie went upstairs, Trixie on his heels.

“Don’t you disappear on me again, all right?” she said, watching as Jamie swapped his work shirt for a plain white t-shirt and a cream-colored sweater and grabbed his stuff.

“I’ll try not to,” Jamie replied. “But they’re… off grid.”

Trixie pressed her lips together. “I get it, but?—”

“I’ll try not to be gone too long.” He didn’t have to work tomorrow, so at least there was that. “I’ll try to get back before Sunday.”

Trixie sighed. “All right.” Her blue eyes were sharp. “But you actually try. You’re already pushing the limits.”

He nodded, stopping to give her a quick hug on the way past. “Thanks, Trixie.”

“Be careful, James.”

“I will.”

Jamie was back out in two minutes, finding Bran at the bottom of the main open staircase. The fae looked up at him, his expression deeply unhappy. “You dinna have to?—”

“Do youwantme to?” Jamie asked.

Bran hesitated, then nodded once.

“Now?”

Another nod.

“Okay.”

Bran huddled into his black wool coat, looking miserable. Jamie couldn’t help himself—he reached out and put a hand on Bran’s shoulder. The fae glanced up at him again, and Jamie noticed that Bran was wearing one of the scarves his mommahad made. He shifted his hand, fingering the knit, and Bran immediately looked guilty.

“I’m sorry?—”

“I don’t mind,” Jamie hurried to tell him. “It suits you.” It was true. This particular scarf was shades of greens and browns, the colors bleeding into and through each other as the dyed yarn knotted around itself into knitted squares. Jamie offered Bran a quick half-smile. “Besides, I have at least a dozen of them.” The one Jamie had thrown around his neck that morning was striped with five different shades of blue and three of brown. It was his favorite of those his momma had made him—he liked the green, as well, but it looked better against Bran’s fair skin and green eyes than it ever had on Jamie.

Then Jamie felt even more awkward because here he was, complimenting—maybe even flirting—with Bran, and Bran’s father was sick or injured or maybe even dead. Jamie hadn’t even asked. He felt his cheeks heating and cleared his throat.

“Let’s go,” he said out loud, while inwardly kicking himself for being an insensitive jerk.

Bran didn’t say anything more, simply followed Jamie out into the cold as they headed toward the Kirkyard.

Chapter

Forty-Three

There were a half-dozen armored and armed fae waiting for them when Bran pulled Jamie through Carraig Gate, but Iolair and his other siblings were not among them. Bran’s already rapid pulse skipped in his chest, pushing an ache through his ribs and into his abdomen. If his brothers and sisters were with their father, then he really was dying—not sick,dying.

And the fact that he and Jamie had been met by theNeach-Cogaidhtold Bran all he needed to know about the state of the war. That it was now only a matter of time before open battle raged on the fields and in the forests of Elfhame.

A glance at Jamie told him that while the half-breed was clearly terrified, he was trying not to show it. Bran felt an odd flash of pride—his bondmate, his Jamie was holding his ground in the face of theNeach-Cogaidh.Never mind that Jamie probably had no idea who they were or why his panic was completely justified.

Bran’s own panic unfortunately came with full knowledge. He clamped down on the rising hysteria that came with it. Both his pride and his sense of family honor dictated that he had to remain as calm as possible. To not show his fear or worry.

Bran schooled his expression into a careful mask, almost painfully aware of Jamie’s blue gaze on his features. He knew Jamie would take his cues from Bran’s reactions, and he was determined not to disgrace either of them.

Show no fear. Do nothing to dishonor your name.

He wasn’t afraid for himself, of course. Even though they were clearly on the brink of open war, all Bran’s fear was for his father—no. That wasn’t right. Most of his fear was for his father, but part of it was also for Jamie. Because Jamie was a gentle soul, not a warrior.

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