Page 54 of The Warrior's Innocent Captive

‘Brothers?’ said Jarin dully.

It was so good to finally tell him, to see the look of surprise on Jarin’s face as he realised they were not so different after all. ‘Brothers,’ he confirmed. ‘Only you’re too wrapped up in yourself to realise it.’

The anger was becoming a living thing within him, pulsing with the desire to tear through the world. To rage in the face of everything that had conspired against him.

‘How long have you known?’ Jarin asked.

Erik snorted in disbelief.Thiswas what Jarin wanted to focus on! Not why Erik had hidden Linota from him, but on their relationship, such an insignificant detail. ‘That I’m Borwyn’s bastard? All my miserable life.’

Jarin looked stunned. Surely it wasn’t so much of a surprise. The two of them looked alike. It was not like this mattered. Only Linota and Isabel did.

‘Why have you never said anything?’ asked Jarin, seemingly still bewildered.

‘Our ever-loving father threatened me with dire consequences if I breathed a word to anyone.’

That wasn’t the whole truth. He’d also always feared Jarin would want nothing more to do with him once he’d learned the truth. Jarin had hated his other brothers and Erik hadn’t wanted his only friend to see him like that. From the look on Jarin’s face now, he’d been right to be circumspect.

‘Why did you take Linota?’ asked Katherine.

Erik flinched. He’d forgotten she was still in the room. How she must despise him, too.

Jarin moved to stand between himself and Katherine and Erik’s anger hardened. How could his brother believe he was a danger to Katherine? He would rather die than hurt a woman. Jarin might not have realised they were brothers, but he surely must know this fundamental aspect of him.

He was wasting time, he needed to get to Isabel.

‘Does it matter why I’ve done it?’ he asked.

Neither Katherine nor Jarin moved. There was no time to explain about his niece. The longer he stayed here the more chance de Bevoir would discover their plot to ransom Linota had failed. Erik knew he would take Isabel away from him as punishment. De Bevoir was not a man who would take failure well.

‘I did it for the fortune,’ he said at last. It was the simplest explanation, although it was quite untrue.

‘You’ve done this for the few pitiful coins I have left? That doesn’t seem like you,’ said Jarin.

‘You don’t know me.’ Jarin had shown that in words and deeds in this very room.

‘Yes, I do. You’re the boy who stole bread from the kitchen so that I could eat after our father had locked me in my room. You’re the person who carried me when I couldn’t walk because he’d beaten me so badly. I’ve seen you nurse hedgehogs back from the brink of death because you care about people and animals that can’t take care of themselves. I know you.’

Erik was torn. All this was true and yet... Jarin had moved to protect Katherine. Erik couldn’t bear another moment of this mental torture. When there was more time he would explain. He would tell his half-brother everything. It might be too late, but it was a risk he would have to take.

‘People change.’ He shrugged, edging again towards the door.

‘But why? Please help me to understand this, Erik.’

‘Now you want to know about me? You’ve had years, Jarin. Years in which you could have asked me if I needed you. It’s too late now.’

Far too late. Their relationship might never recover. He couldn’t mourn that right now, though. He would have time to go over what he could have done better over the last few days, but he could do that away from Jarin, as long as he managed to get Isabel to safety.

‘Did our father turn you against me?’ Jarin asked, still trying to understand.

Jarin’s bewilderment only served to anger Erik further. ‘No! I’m my own man. I make my own decisions.’

Jarin shook his head. ‘Our father hated me. He couldn’t bear it that I was the son who was going to inherit the earldom, so he took the only thing that really meant something to me—your friendship—and he destroyed it. He manipulated you like he manipulated everyone.’

Erik snorted. Trust Jarin to think the world revolved around him. ‘Once again you think you have it all worked out. Believe what you want. I’m leaving.’

He advanced on Jarin, who stood unmoving before him. Erik did not want to hit his brother—hurting him went against every fibre of his being—but he would if Jarin wouldn’t let him go.

‘Let me pass,’ he growled.

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