Page 55 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

Seconds passed as I stared at my brother. I felt nothing at first, but then felt sick. “I won’t leave you behind, Aurelias.”

“Well, you can’t stay here. Larisa isn’t safe in this place.”

“Just because you’re an Original doesn’t mean you’re invulnerable.”

“I’ll be fine, Kingsnake.”

“You’ll be alone. If something happens to you, then we’ll never know.”

“You’ll know because I won’t come back.”

“Could you not be a stone slab for two seconds?” I snapped. “We’re just supposed to sail away and abandon you? How will you get back?”

“I’ll get a ship.”

“I don’t like this.” I shook my head. “Father will hate me even more than he already does if I show up without you.”

“He doesn’t hate you—”

“Let’s not go there right now. This is the only way.”

It was the bullshit way.

“Do you have another idea?”

I held his gaze before I looked away. “You don’t even know what they want you to do.”

“True. I’ll need to ask.”

“And what if you start a war with King Rolfe?”

“If he wants to sail all the way to our lands to pick a fight, then good luck to him.”

I had to admit it wasn’t practical. By the time his soldiers arrived, they would be weak and malnourished. Their ships would be sunk, and they’d lose an entire army the second they reached the shore.

“We’ll speak to Rancor tomorrow. Assuming it’s not a suicide mission, that’ll be the plan.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You have no allies.”

“The Teeth will be my allies.”

“That’s not the same thing as having your brother watch your back.”

A subtle smile moved on to his lips. “Or your brother’s woman…”

“I’ll stay behind. You take Larisa back—”

“We both know she won’t go.”

No, she wouldn’t. She’d stay with me, wherever I was.

“It’s okay, Kingsnake.” His eyes read mine, feeling all my conflict. “Really.”

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