Page 137 of The Forsaken Heir
“Jesus, Freddy.” I gripped his arm. “Never. I know what they’re like. I never held any bitterness toward you or Sophia. Not once.”
He nodded and swiped a hand across his eyes. “I was on one of the upper landings, watching. When Sophia went running toward you, I held my breath. Shit, I evenwinced, waiting for you to slap her across the face, but…you hugged her.”
Freddy dissolved into tears. He hiccuped and choked back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm him. My own eyes grew wet as I watched him struggle with his emotions.
Finally, he took a steadying breath and laughed while wiping his eyes. “When I saw that, I knew you’d forgiven us. That’s when I came to find you. Ihadto see you, Elle. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he sobbed.
I let go of Aurelius’s hand and dragged my little brother into a hug, holding him like I had when he was little.
“I missed you so much,” he mumbled into my shirt.
“I missed you guys too.”
We sat like that for a long time, holding one another. Years of lost time passing in an instant. All that time vanished as if I’d only left yesterday. I had my brother back, and he had his sister.
The door opened, and Cassius stepped in with a tray of food. We both sat up and wiped the tears from our cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” the king said. “Did I interrupt?”
“No, it’s fine, sir—er, Your Majesty,” Freddy said. “I was just going.”
“Are you going back to your room?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Freddy cast a nervous glance at the king. “If that’s okay?”
Cassius nodded. “The exam room you were in should do for now. I’ll have Titus find a more comfortable spot for you soon, though. You helped get my son back. You won’t be spending your time in some dungeon. You’ll be an honored guest of House Decimus.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Freddy bowed. He hugged me again before showing himself out.
Cassius placed the tray of food on a table and nodded to Aurelius.
“How’s he doing?”
I shrugged. “He’s still sleeping.”
Cassius nodded to the door. “You’ve got some people out there itching to see you. Is it okay if I let them in?”
There was no doubt who he was talking about. I chuckled and nodded, waving for him to open the door.
Delphine, Rasp, and Vincent all hurried into the room. Vincent eyed Aurelius with worry.
“He’s gonna be all right, Vince,” I said.
The relief on his face was obvious, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.
“I broughtfartoo much food,” Cassius said. “Join us. I insist.”
“I could go for a little something,” Rasp said.
Delphine shook her head. “Why am I not surprised?”
“I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” Rasp said. “Damn, it’s been like twenty hours. You can’t hold that against me.”
“Have at it,” Cassius urged.
We chatted and nibbled on small salads, breads, meats, and cheeses. The whole thing had a weird familial quality to it. Although none of us shared blood, save for the king and his unconscious son, we had become a sort of family unit. It was nice—warm and cozy, even though we were in a sterile room.
“That looks good. Can I have some?”
