Page 88 of Enchanted Crown
“Don’t be so tenebrous, Keir,” Emric said lightly. “Like Krew is really going to leave you to your own devices with no guards of our own to protect you. I am sure a rotation of guards will be here for you.”
Miles said from the door. “I know I wouldn’t mind going back and forth.”
And it was after a brief pause that John stated, “I’m not leaving.”
All our heads snapped his direction, and in my case, I had to spin around to look at him. Had I heard him correctly? “What?”
“I have decided to stay,” John offered simply.
The lump in my throat was difficult to swallow down. “I cannot ask that of you, John.”
“You didn’t ask. I decided it for myself. Remember my heavy trunk when we returned back after your bonding?”
I gave him a nod.
“I knew then. Packed my belongings I knew I would miss. Everything I need.”
Everything he was saying made sense. They were simple words in and of themselves. “I can’t?—”
He cut me off. “Again, you didn’t ask, Keir. It is a decision I made for myself a while ago. I knew you would be staying, and assomeone who has watched over you from a young age, fancying myself as a father type figure in your life who did not let you down, I have decided that where you go, I too shall go, if you should have me.”
Keir?Esta sent to me, picking up on my shock and emotion.
I’m fine,I told her.John just offered to stay in Dra Skor permanently and I don’t quite know what to do with it.
I knew I liked him,she sent back.
I didn’t know what to say. “I—” I wanted to say no. I should say no. He should go back to Wylan. The only home he had ever known. “You wish to stay?”
“So long as you do, Prince,” John said with a nod. After a long pause consisting entirely of my disbelief, he added, “I have requested access to Dra Skor’s libraries. Their history is rich and more complete than ours. I think comparing theirs to our own might even help fill in some gaps where we believe your father and grandfather burned information.”
He would stay. A piece of Wylan would stay with me? It was more than I could have hoped or asked for. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll allow me to disappear into the libraries,” John smirked.
“Of course you can,” I agreed. “And also, I’d like to say that I appreciate all you have done for me, the years you have looked after me.”
“You have always been an inquiring and kind soul,” John smiled at me as if I were eight again and not pushing thirty. “I knew I found a kindred spirit in you from a young age.”
“So you’ll stay,” I repeated.
“I will. And I can come along to Corsha as well. However I am needed.”
“More than you are needed, you are also wanted, old man,” I got out.
Emric saw me struggling and moved to give me a hug. “Now enough of that doom and gloom attitude you have going on. You are to be king consort of Dra Skor. We have managed to make an ally out of our greatest enemy. Regardless of how long it takes us to smoke out Morana, you have already won, Keir.”
There was a rustling in Emric’s pocket that sounded like the crumpling of parchment as he moved back. He quickly moved to adjust it, taking the care to make sure it stayed put.
His eyes met mine and mine hit his. The same moment I reached for it, he was moving out of the way. The result was a chase while I heard John snort.
While Emric might have more honor than I did, having a twin brother did nothing but prepare me for this moment in time.
We landed on the bed in a heap of limbs, and when he went to shove me away, I went with the cheap shot of biting down on his finger. The good ol’ fish hook maneuver. Simple but wildly effective.
In his hesitation of pain, I finally snagged the parchment out of his pocket and held it high in the air.
“Give me that,” Emric demanded. Still shaking out his finger.
