Page 90 of Rebellious Royals

"But he is."

I shook my head. "He can be both things, Aspen. You know what? He can also decide he's not going to be the tool he was created for. A screwdriver can be a weapon, right? So why can't the Mad Queen's weapon become the fae's protector or something?"

I saw when her eyes widened. "Oh. I hadn't thought of that."

"And that's why I'm here," I assured her. "So let's go shove a little humanity in your brother's face, ok? Make sure he knows he's needed - and not just to be used?"

"He won't believe you."

I got my last shoe on and stood. "Yeah, but he can taste lies, right? Well, I'm more than willing to shove a little truth down his throat." And I reached out my hand.

Aspen took it, letting me haul her out of my room. Jack fluttered off his perch, but it wasn't my shoulder he claimed. Instead, he picked Aspen's. Oddly, I was starting to like that. It was nice to know he accepted her. Somehow, it made me feel like this thing I had with her wasn't going to be fleeting.

Yet once my girlfriend saw Keir, she pointed at him. "That's your boyfriend. Hold his hand."

Keir offered his palm. I took it, lacing my fingers between his, then Aspen moved to his other side, sliding an arm around his waist. Without hesitation, Keir draped an arm casually over her shoulder. Together - feeling like we could hold back all the bad in the world - we turned for the boys' side of the building.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

RAIN

On the way over, Aspen told me Torian was awake. Keir nodded, saying he wasn't surprised, yet he guided us all the way around the fourth floor until we reached his room. There, he opened his own door and tipped his head.

"All yours, Rain. I'm taking this lovely lady down for more sweets than the two of us can tolerate."

"I'm so down for that," Aspen agreed, but then her smile faded. "Rain, try to look at this from his side?"

"Oh, I am," I told her. "Trust me, I'm not going to make him feel bad. The goal is to lift him up a bit, right?"

So she mouthed, "Thank you," at me, even as her cheeks turned brighter. "I know you like that, but it feels weird."

"It's a human thing," Keir told her. "Recognition of a kindness. Makes her aware it was seen and appreciated."

"But - "

"No," Keir said. "Aspen, they like everything to be said. It's why they lie, because it's saying what others want to hear." Then he lifted a hand. "Good luck, Rain."

"This is going to be ok," I mumbled as I stepped into Keir's room, hoping it wasn't a lie.

Yet I paused to look back, watching them head to the elevators by my dads' apartment. I should probably tell Liam about this. No, that would make Torian stop trusting me. Besides, there was a good chance my dad already knew, and dawdling wouldn't make this any easier.

It was weird being in Keir's room without him. Even weirder was walking across their shared bathroom and tapping on Torian's door. When I'd thought about this, I'd expected to be knocking on the one in the hall. And sure, this was nicer because I had somewhere to retreat, but what would Torian think?

"Come!" he bellowed.

Cautiously, I cracked the door, refusing to look through it. "It's me, Tor."

"Aspen warned me," he said.

So I dared to step into his room. "Um, Keir's worried about you."

Torian sighed heavily. "I'm fine."

I took another step, realizing Torian now had a chair in his room like the one in mine. His was black, but looked just as soft. There was also a small loveseat by the window that overlooked the atrium. Without asking, I took it, sitting angled so I could see him.

"Your mom designed you like a thing," I said, not knowing where else to start, because if Aspen told him I was coming, she'd probably mentioned why. "You had all these expectations heaped on you, but the reality is so much worse. In trying to do the right thing, you've found yourself caught between a rock and a hard spot, and you're convinced the only way out is, well, permanent?"

"I'm not suicidal," he said.

---