Page 35 of The Curse of a Kingdom
“What, then? Is it something Nava did to you?”
Devon's eyes widened when no words left his lips again, and then he was up from his seat, a heavy groan leaving him as he walked around the room in a frenzy. “I guess I won’t be able to say what I really want to about it.”
Shehadcast a spell on his brother! Orion’s body heated as he also stood, his hands turning to fists. “I will have her break it now.”
“Calm down.” Devon waved him off. “She can’t break it. Only I can once I fulfill my end of the . . . bargain.”
That damn woman would be the end of him. Orion hesitated but took a seat again. “So the match, when was it ordered? Can you break it?”
Could it be broken? Had it been an order from the Crown itself or was it a mere suggestion that his brother had blindly jumped into because of her breathtaking beauty? His skin prickled with anticipation as he waited for Devon to answer.
When no words came, Orion sat forward. “It’s rather odd they matched you so quickly, and I find it suspicious you are suddenly here, under some sort of magic bond. She shouldn’t be matched to you.”
His brother barked a laugh and let his body unceremoniously fall onto the chair in front. “Oh, tell me how you are feeling, I beg you.”
He should leave before this ridiculous jealousy came out in any way that could harm their trust further.
Leaving before asking Devon the questions that had brought him here in the first place was ridiculous. The scent of spice wafted, and the palm of his hand heated before the charred tome he’d taken from the library last night materialized in his open hand.
Devon wrung his hands together before straightening in his seat. Leaning forward, he studied the book and then raised his eyes slowly to meet Orion’s.
“I have been searching for information ever since I arrived as to why my mother took me to that orphanage when the kingdom clearly wanted me here. Something is not adding up—”
“And you brought me a barbequed book to solve your mystery because . . . ?”
“The wing in the library that held the history of the kingdom and the royal archives burned around the time I was taken.” Orion shrugged and placed the book on the polished wood coffee table in front of him. “I paged through it this morning, and there are some pages that are legible but in an old fae language I can’t understand.”
“Ah, there it is. I told you the language arts class was important to not fully flunk, didn’t I?”
“You also love to dish out the ‘I told you so’ with no remorse.”
“Touché.” Devon’s grin reached his eyes for the first time, and Orion relaxed a fraction in his seat.
The memories of ditching class to go and master spells while Devon stayed behind were still fresh in his mind. Like they’d happened yesterday, not when they had both been in their teens. His brother could speak many languages; they always came easy to him.
“We all have our strengths and weaknesses.” Orion's lips twitched into a smile. “You and I both know I'm abhorrent at languages.”
“Indeed.” Devon grinned before leaning forward to inspect the book, his fingertips going over the charred cover with a gentle touch. "I'll page through it, but I won't make any promises."
"Thank you."
* * *
It had been hours, and the cool air of morning had turned warm and humid. Long ago Orion and Devon had abandoned their coats and moved to more casual positions in the same sitting area. They talked little as Devon scribbled on a clean parchment, his knuckles stained with black ink as the feather plume scratched the paper.
The document being so incomplete by the destruction of the fire made it harder; it didn’t help that it disintegrated if held the wrong way.
The whole experience was like déjà vu. Devon hunched over a table, muttering unintelligible words as Orion sipped on whiskey from a gold cup, biting the inside of his cheek not to ask for the tenth time if he had found something of use.
“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Devon asked finally, reaching for his own drink. “I can’t translate this damn thing with you breathing down my neck. The least you can do is go and get me food.”
Feeling his cheeks warm at his brother’s words, Orion raised to his feet. “I will get something.”
“And you’d better believe I require payment for this.”
“What kind of payment are we talking about?”
“For starters, I would like to leave this room once a day, at least.” Devon dipped the tip of his quill inside the pot of ink. “And I would like to see the cat.”
