Page 15 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
Kisano
After Maseo left with Kitsuki and Jaega, the meeting room fell into an uncomfortable silence. He remained seated at the polished silverwood table, his analytical mind churning through everything he had witnessed. Auslin stared at the closed door through which Maseo had disappeared, his knuckles white as he gripped the armrests.
Unable to find a reasonable explanation for what had occurred, Kisano needed more information. “What happened?”
“Exactly what we said,” Auslin replied. His lavender eyes were still bright with unshed tears. “Nasume almost killed Maseo, but I healed him before it was too late. We brought him here as an ally, but I didn’t think it meant he’d be fighting in the war on the front lines.”
“I was referring more to how Maseo went from being Kio’s troublesome former lover to someone you are genuinely concerned about.”
Heat rose in Kisano’s cheeks at his own forwardness, but the question needed to be asked. Knowing about Maseo’s past withKio from Kitsuki, the new alliance struck him as strange and potentially dangerous. The way Auslin had defended the half-wolf shifter, the tears in his eyes at the possibility of Maseo facing combat, and the protective way he had reached for the young man’s hand didn’t add up. “You seemed distressed at the prospect of harm befalling him beyond what simple compassion would warrant.”
Auslin’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, Kisano thought he might refuse to answer. Then the mage’s shoulders sagged, as if his emotions were too heavy to bear. “I know his father is the worst, but Maseo is a good person. Of course, I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to him.”
Kisano tried to find a delicate way to express his concerns without alienating his brother’s mate. The political implications of harboring Nasume’s son were staggering, and someone needed to voice the uncomfortable truths that duty demanded. “He could be a spy, Auslin. I would put nothing past Nasume, including using his own son for such evil purposes.”
“You’re right about Nasume being willing to stoop to any low, but Maseo isn’t like that. Nasume beat Maseo within an inch of his life. He would have died if I hadn’t been able to heal his extensive injuries. Maseo would never repay that kindness by hurting us.”
The pain in Auslin’s voice gave Kisano pause. As a healer, Auslin had treated countless injuries over the years, attending to warriors, commoners, and accident victims with professional detachment. For him to be so affected by Maseo’s condition suggested something horrific had occurred.
Kisano tilted his head as he regarded Auslin, noting how the mage’s hands trembled as they rested on the table. “Youhave extolled Maseo’s virtues since the moment we began this conversation, but I confess, I struggle with your emphatic defense of someone who has caused you so much pain.”
Because that was the crux of it, wasn’t it? Maseo had been Kio’s lover when Kio had betrayed Auslin’s trust, leaving the mage waiting alone while he pursued his affair. Kisano had watched his brother struggle with Kio’s infidelity.
Auslin shook his head. “Kio caused usbothpain. Maseo was Kio’s victim the same way I was. I’ll never hold that against him.”
The words made Kisano consider that perhaps his perspective on the past events was incorrect. He had seen Maseo as a willing participant in Kio’s betrayal, but what if that wasn’t the case? What if the young half-shifter had been as manipulated and used as Auslin himself? It would be in line with everything Kisano knew about Kio.
“I admire how kind your heart is,” Kisano conceded, feeling some of his resistance crumble in the face of Auslin’s unwavering compassion. It was one of the qualities he most respected about his brother’s mate and one of his only friends. Auslin had a remarkable ability to see past surface appearances to the wounded soul beneath. “For your sake, I hope Maseo is sincere in his desire to aid our battle against his father. Even with Kizoshi’s help, this war will be difficult to win.”
The mention of the upcoming conflict brought fresh worry to Auslin’s features. He looked down at his hands, his brow furrowing with concern. “I know fighting for our cause is Maseo’s best chance to win his freedom after the war is over, but I can’t bear the thought of him getting hurt.” He glanced up, hope flickering in his violet eyes. “But Kizoshi would have warned me if Maseo were in danger, right?”
Kisano considered the question. His sister’s prophetic abilities were both a blessing and a curse; she saw much but rarely shared everything she knew without masking her meaning in riddles. Her motivations were often as mysterious as her visions themselves. “Given her fondness for you, it seems likely she would have at least warned you about the possibility to help prepare your heart for what lies ahead.”
They fell silent, both lost in thought, before Kisano continued. “She would have cautioned us against trusting him if there were a reason to doubt his willingness to take up arms in the name of Valzerna’s victory.” There was some comfort in the logic of his own argument. His sister might be cryptic, but she was protective of those she cared about.
“He won’t betray us,” Auslin insisted, his voice carrying the weight of absolute certainty. “Unlike his father, Maseo is a good and honorable person.”
Kisano found it hard to believe, given how often Maseo’s presence had caused Kio to stray from Auslin’s side during his painful infidelity. But perhaps that had been Kio’s choice rather than Maseo’s manipulation. Maybe the young half-wolf shifter had been as trapped in that toxic relationship with Kio as Auslin.
He kept his reservations to himself, recognizing that Auslin needed his support more than his skepticism. Instead, he sighed with reluctant acceptance. “I am proof that your kindness can reach someone’s heart and change them for the better. For that reason, I will trust in Maseo’s dedication to you.”
“Thank you,” Auslin said. The rigid tension left his shoulders as he settled back in his chair. “How were things here while we were gone?”
Kisano welcomed the shift in conversation, grateful to discuss matters he understood rather than the complex emotional dynamics he had been trying to navigate. “We are still waiting to hear from some lords and other monarchs about joining the war. The responses have been mixed thus far. Some are eager to see Nasume fall, while others fear the consequences of backing the losing side.”
Auslin nodded. “I can see why they’d be cautious. There’s never been a war during my lifetime. We stopped to speak with King Macrinus while searching for Maseo, and he was prepared to join the fight on our side.”
“That is good to hear. Our personal preparations are going well. Uncle Jaega has been training the soldiers for what lies ahead, and morale remains high despite the uncertainty. If we can garner the support we need from our allies, Kitsuki’s plan may work.”
“I hope it does, because Nasume is too dangerous to be allowed to continue ruling. Anyone who would try to kill his own son has no right to rule a kingdom.”
Kisano made a soft noise of agreement but said nothing further on the matter. The subject left him disquieted.
“How is Sephen handling this?” Auslin asked. “I’ve worried about him while we traveled.”
“He is frightened, despite my continual assurances that I will not leave the castle to play any part in this fight, other than as a strategist from my library,” Kisano answered. He hated worrying his mate so much.
“We both grew up sheltered at the temple, but I learned more about the harsh reality of the world through my travels,” Auslinexplained. “Sephen has only seen the good, so I’m sure he’s terrified of the war.”
