Page 70 of The Wild Prince's Favorite
“Don’t you dare mention her!” Kassein suddenly roared.
He then burst out of the tent. Kiera sighed, glaring at the door, but her gaze then went to Lorey, who was glaring back.
“What?” she said under her partner’s accusatory stare. “You know I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true!”
“...Did we come here to help or not?”
After a few seconds, Kiera rolled her eyes. As always, Lorey was the voice of reason. She looked at Alezya in the bed next to her.
The tribeswoman seemed worried, as she probably had no idea what had suddenly triggered Kassein to shout and leave. Her dark eyes were lingering on the tent’s entrance… In fact, her eyes were really stuck to where Kassein had disappeared seconds ago. That’s when Kiera realized.
That tribeswoman wasn’t just here against her will, or because she had no other choice. She felt safe here. Kassein and that woman might have gotten closer than she initially thought. Her brother hadn’t opened his heart to anyone in ages, and yet, it was clear he and that foreign woman cared about each other. Deeply.
The truth was, he would have never called for help if it hadn’t been for someone else’s sake... for that woman’s sake. It wasn’t just that Kassian had cast their little brother away to these mountains; Kassein himself had chosen this exile. He’d stopped answering their letters, and put up walls that no dragon could cross, not letting anybody in. Until now.
After a little while, Kiera turned to Tievin.
“Do they still try to kill each other?”
She did not need to mention who this was about. Lorey turned her eyes to Tievin too.
“...It has become rarer since Kein brought this woman here,” he admitted.
He preferred not to mention that they had very nearly murdered each other just a day ago when Kassein had briefly sent Alezya back. Kiera, of all people, would understand what was implied. She turned her eyes back to Alezya, staring at that woman. Then, her eyes went to Lorey, and she eventually shook her head, before walking out. Tievin let out a heavy sigh.
“It can be tough serving the Imperial Family, can’t it?” Lorey smiled.
“Stubbornness is their most troublesome family trait,” he declared, “but, dare I say, the Commander is most likely relieved you and the Princess came.”
“She’s happy too. She missed her little brother.”
Tievin and Lorey exchanged a complicit glance, and their eyes turned back to Alezya. She was still visibly confused to be left with those two, but Lorey smiled reassuringly.
Outside the tent, Kiera found her brother just a few steps away, glaring at the top of the mountain. Kein had begun scouring the heights with menacing growls again, flying around and scanning for enemies like a bird of prey.
“We’re not alone,” she commented.
“They are watching her. We caught them spying several times.”
“Curious. The tribes have never acted so boldly before...”
For a few seconds, the two of them stood side by side, trying to spot the origin of the stares that triggered their instincts. Kiera’s dragon, Kiki, had also taken flight to accompany Kein, seemingly more curious to inspect the mountains than feeling like hunting. After a little while, she uncrossed her arms and turned to the camp. Some of the soldiers close by opened their eyes wide upon seeing her, a striking female copy of their Commander.
“We will help you,” she finally said.
“...Because of her?”
“Because I believe Kassian was wrong.”
Kassein finally turned to her, shocked. His sister sighed.
“He’s always been harsh, and I believe he’s been so with you too. It got worse when he took the throne and gave up on that woman... I’m not saying what you did was right in any way, and you already know that, but you’re our little brother. He shouldn’t have just sent you away. That’s not how our family solves things.”
Her words took Kassein by surprise, so much so that he had nothing to answer for a while. Kiera looked up at Kein.
“I’ll help you,” she said again, “as long as you don’t tell the family I’m here too.”
He nodded.
