Page 93 of Castor
“Sleep,” she said before kissing my temple.
I didn’t sleep.
Alone in the room, I stared at the trees swaying outside the balcony doors. The sun hung low in the sky, the fading daylight coloring the island in shades of red, orange, and yellow. I tried to get out of bed, but a sharp pain went through me, radiating from my back to the center of my chest. Defeated, I lay back down and fumbled for my phone. Then, I remembered I didn’t have it.
“Shit.”
If my heartache over Castor didn’t kill me, boredom would.
Something silver on the bedside table drew my eye. As I grabbed it, my throat tightened. Castor had given me the necklace the morning of the battle, and I had slipped it into my pocket. I held the dragon charm to my chest and blew out a shaky, painful breath.
“I found it on you when we brought you here,” Tatsuya said from the doorway. He stepped farther into the room, the personification of strength and grace. His black hair was pulled back with a blue ribbon, matching the smaller one that was tied to the hilt of his sword. Probably one of his wives’ doing. “I take it the Nephilim gave it to you?”
“His name is Castor.” Saying his name out loud hurt almost as much as the wound in my back. I clipped the necklace around my neck, finding a little bit of comfort in the weight of the charm against my chest.
Tatsuya walked over to the balcony and peered outside, giving me a view of his profile. His unreadable expression had been perfected over the years. I very rarely knew what he was actually feeling.
“He was distraught over you,” Tatsuya said. There was a short pause. “I didn’t know you felt so strongly about someone. When I told you about the marriage to Warrin, you said you didn’t have anyone special.”
“I didn’t at the time.” I moved the dragon pendant between my fingers. “Castor and I were just fucking back then. But we grew closer.” I brought Castor’s face to mind and recalled the feel of his soft lips. The murmur of his voice as he held me in bed. “A lot closer.”
“I see.” Another pause. “You know it’s too late to call off the wedding.”
“I know.” It felt like a balloon wedged in my throat and inflated, making it harder to breathe. “I love him, Tatsu.”
I only ever used the shortened version of his name when I was really upset. He walked over and sat beside me on the bed, a deep crease in his brow. “Maybe you’ll grow to love Warrin too.”
I swiped a finger beneath my eye as a tear escaped. “I doubt it.”
“You haven’t even met him yet,” Tatsuya gently said.
“I don’t need to meet him to know I’ll never love anyone the way I love Castor.” I focused on my brother through bleary eyes. “He’s my mate.”
Surprise flickered across his face. It took a lot to get a visible reaction out of him, but I was too sad to find any pride in that fact.
“Are you certain?”
“Yeah.” I squeezed the charm tighter, feeling the metal warm on my palm. “It doesn’t matter though. I have to let him go, don’t I?”
He nodded once. “Peace with the ice clan depends on it. Maybe, one day in the future, you can be with him again.”
“Like you and your seven wives?”
“Possibly. When you live for as long as we do, it’s not always realistic to expect to love the same person forever. Because for us, forever isn’t an exaggeration but a very real prospect. Some do choose monogamy though. Communication with a partner is key.”
Without a doubt, I knew I could live for thousands of years and still only want Castor. Only him.
“I’m tired,” I said, turning to my side. The movement made me wince a little.
“I’ll let you rest, then.” Tatsuya stood and walked toward the door. He stopped before passing through it. “Don’t scare me like that again, Kyo.” His voice turned rough. “I thought I wouldn’t make it to you in time. And then when I saw you hurt on that beach, I couldn’t breathe.”
“I can’t believe you actually showed up for me. You said dragons had no business fighting someone else’s war.”
“That was before demons fucked with my little brother. I know we don’t always see eye to eye… but I love you. Never forget that.”
He left and slid the door closed behind him.
I returned my gaze to the trees outside my room, so many different feelings coursing through me that I found it hard to process any of them. Questions screamed in my head. Was Castor okay? Would he try to find me?
