Page 19 of The Prince's Fealty

Pel smirked at him. “But I like your ass.”

This made Tor grin. “Thank goodness. I am sorry, though. Truly.”

“It’s all right.” Pel slipped his arms around Tor’s waist in a loose embrace. “I don’t mean for you to keep apologizing. I understand why you made the decisions you did. I wish you hadn’t come up with that plan—but if you hadn’t, we would never have wound up here, and I can’t regret that.”

Tor couldn’t, either.

Pel admitted, “And I’ll be honest. I don’t know how I’d have reacted if you’d told me the truth sooner. Ihopewe could have talked it out like we’ve done now. But there’s a chance I would have cut my losses and run instead.” He gave Tor a rueful look. “Maybe you aren’t the only one who needed to grow up and gain some common sense.”

Tor huffed out a laugh, hardly able to disagree at this point. “Fair enough. Still, thank you so much for being there for me even when I least deserved it, and for carting me around and taking care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself.”

“That’s my job,” Pel said, expression intent, eyes soft. “Especially now that I know we’re bonded, but the feeling was there before then. That’s what you do with people you care about, isn’t it? Love them and try to take care of them as best you can.”

Tor’s chest felt warm and full, like he’d swallowed a miniature sun. “Yes, I guess thatiswhat you do. It probably explains a lot about my brother; he just goes about it in a totally obnoxious way.”

Pel smiled a little bit cautiously and offered, “He loves you.”

Tor sighed. “I think he does. But he doesn’t seem to trust me anymore, and that hurts.”

But it wasn’t like he could lay all the blame for the distance between them at Varex’s door. Tor had been content to grumble and squander his opportunities. He’d always assumed there’d be more time to sort things out. He’d wantedVarexto reach out tohim.

“You’re still going to keep him and his family safe.”

It wasn’t a question, so Tor didn’t take offense.

“Of course.”

Everything that had happened had made Tor more aware than ever that he needed to get things straightened out with Varex, but regardless, the man was his brother, his twin, and Tor loved him.

“We’ll get through this,” Pel told him.

Tor really hoped so. He wasn’t going to think about the fact that a kiss had winded him, and the thought of walking back to the cave was already tiring him out. He didn’t know how he was going to do this exactly, but he was sure that Pel, Beluna, Cavun, and Denil would row them back to Alossa—well, Lotar, first.

Oh, except he’d have to offer Beluna, Cavun, and Denil the chance to bow out of this. They’d gone above and beyond, and getting Tor to safety was not the same as following him back into dangeragain.

But they’d figure something out.

Because if Fernila was behind this, if Yomil was involved, there was no saying who could be trusted in Nexa. The attack had been brazen, but the fact that Torhadbeen chosen as a scapegoat suggested that they weren’t ready to show their full hand yet. Tor would just pray that for once in his life, Thurnil could be useful and help protect Ada until Tor got to her. With Tor probably presumed dead, Cala and Ada might be the only things standing between Varex and the conspirators.

“You ready to head back inside?” Pel asked. “The food’s probably ready.”

Tor’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food, but he ignored it and waggled his eyebrows.

“Hey, we’re bonded.”

Pel looked nonplussed. “Yes, we are.”

“We should celebrate.”

Pel’s eyebrow rose. “Right here?”

Tor tugged Pel closer again and slipped a hand under his tunic. He leaned in to kiss the other man as Pel said, “I don’t think Bel—”

“Absolutely not!” Beluna was marching towards them with a glare on her face. “We are in the middle of a badly defensible area. You can absolutely not have sex out here. Do you know how vulnerable you would be?”

Tor wheedled, “But I just found out we’re bonded.”

“I don’t care,” she said flatly, hands on her hips. “I will kick everyone out of the cave if you want. You’re not having sex out here.”