Page 29 of Across the Sapphire Sea
“From what? Remy? Laurence? You’re the one who insisted we go to Bran Vigny. You knew Laurence worked for The Dozen. You wanted to see him.” Elias forced himself to ask the question though he feared the answer. “Did you hope to win him back?”
“What? No!”
A swell of relief eased the worry that threatened.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Valeri chided, his face a mask of revulsion. “I’ve no interest in his pompous ass or his weakling whelp.”
The need to defend his new friend hit Elias hard. “Remy is not weak.”
“And how do you know that, hmm?” Valeri’s gaze turned dark. “Do you think you’re keeping him a secret? I know you meet with him, though I asked you not to.”
“Not asked,” Elias corrected. “Ordered.”
“Ordered. Not that it makes a difference to you. You don’t listen.”
“And you’d have me believe that order was for my benefit, not your own?”
“Of course.”
“Horse shit.” Elias set his hands on his hips. “You’re afraid of what they’ll tell me.”
Valeri scowled. “Do not speak with Laurence.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Does it need to be?”
“What is it you want? My loyalty? You have it. Must I also be miserable to please you? Why are we here?”
“To save Mahu—”
“Not that. I know that.” Elias let out a frustrated sigh. “I mean, we know that now; we did not know it then, when this started. Why did we hunt all over Lappland searching for ancient vampires, and when we found them why did we go running to Bran Vigny if not to impress your first fledging, if not to—”
“Respect!” Valeri shouted, stopping Elias mid-rant. “And not Laurence’s, I don’t care about him. He shamed me in front of The Dozen, got me exiled, banished to the north. I lost my place at court. I want their respect back. I deserve it!”
“You want what you refuse to give.”
“You owe me your respect, not the other way around.” Valeri thrust a finger at his chest. “You are my fledgling.”
“And that’s all I am, isn’t it?”
“That’severything.” Valeri said the word as if it were holy.
“Everything. Then why does it feel like nothing?”
Valeri pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit he had when irritated with Elias. He did it often lately. “You’re being dramatic. You must know your value to me.”
Elias narrowed his gaze. “My value?”
“Your worth. Your importance. Don’t nitpick. You know that I treasure you. If you ever left…” Valeri glanced down as the words trailed off.
For once it didn’t sound like a threat. His expression held real fear. The sentiment caused Elias to soften, like he always did in the end.
“I’m not trying to leave you, Valeri. I am trying tobecomeme.”
Valeri stared at him like he had no idea what that meant.
Perhaps he didn’t.
