Page 284 of Golden Eagle

“It could have,” Tuck said, slowly. “Just when I think I’ve lived long enough to know the limitations of things, I’m usually proven wrong.”

“He’ll be okay?” Alexei asked.

“Yes.” Red smiled at him. “A little rest, and some blood, and he’ll be fine.”

Alexei let out a deep breath, shoulder sagging against Severin’s.

“Thank you, dear.” Tuck touched Red’s shoulder. “I’m off to find a bottle.”

“Oh, Tuck, no!” she called after him, chuckling.

But she didn’t walk away.

She stood there, tidying a loose piece of hair. Turning her gaze on Severin, finally. Meeting his gaze, really looking at him. “Hello, Seven,” she said, almost shyly. “It’s good to see you again.”

He had to clear his throat. “I go by Severin, now,” he said.

Her brows quirked – a brief show of surprise. She would remember Dr. Severin, maybe. But then she smiled, wide and sweet. “That’s wonderful.”

He had so many things he wanted to ask her. Too many – so he asked none of them, and stared at her stupidly, Alexei’s arm still around him, warm and grounding.

Red’s gaze went to it, just a moment, but her face betrayed no sign of what she thought of it. “Did Will get the note to you? The one from Rob?”

“Yes.”

A beat passed, another silence that Severin sensed wasn’t natural, but didn’t know how to fill. He’d never been taught how to speak normally, back and forth.Small talk, he remembered it was called.

Red said, “That’s great.” Another smile. “Rob and everyone have been so good to us. Marian, Will, John – even Much, though he would never admit that,” she added with a little laugh that sounded like wind chimes. “There’s plenty of room at the base. When you and the boys come…I’m sure you’ll like it. There’s horses, and a riding ring, and archery practice. There’s even TVs in the bedrooms, and somehow we’ve got a satellite rigged up that gets HBO–”

“I’m not going,” Severin said, and realized, when he said it – and when his sister’s brows went up – that he’d only just now decided that. But he knew it was true, and knew that he wouldn’t be swayed on it.

“You’re not?” she asked.

“You’re not?” Alexei echoed her.

Severin had to take a deep breath, his chest suddenly tight. “You should take Twelve and Eighteen. They need somewhere safe to go. But I – my place is here right now. With – with the tsarevich.”

Red’s brows went a notch higher. “Are you–” Her gaze shifted to Alexei. “Did you bind him?”

“No,” Alexei said; Severin could feel his gaze on the side of his face. “No, not unless that’s something he wants. Later. When he’s had time to decide.”

“Okay…wow,” Red said. She shook her head. “Okay. Um. Is that something you want? Either of you?”

Severin opened his mouth – and didn’t have the words. How did he explain it to her? The way he felt…felt…attached. The way he felt like, if Alexei pulled away, and sneered at him, and told him he wasn’t welcome, that he would want to howl and scream like he never had.

He didn’t have to explain, though, it turned out.

Alexei’s arm tightened and he said, “I think maybe we all need each other, right now. Sev can go with you if he wants – but he can stay if he wants, too. Pack sticks together.”

Her gaze moved between them a moment – and then she smiled, softer this time, a light in her eyes Severin didn’t understand. “You’re right: pack sticks together.”

Pack. Severin liked the sound of that.

~*~

“Captain, might I have a word?”

Nikita and Sasha had just been handed coffee, and Sasha had all but fallen into a folding chair next to Lanny, eyes nearly shut he was so tired. He’d fought like a wild thing, passionately reckless, and now he was as tuckered out as a baby who’d played too long.

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