Page 60 of Captive

Hector curls his fingers around my arms, pulls me close, and speaks with his mouth near my ear. “I need you on my side right now. Can you do that for me?”

Why?

The word burns my tongue, but I don’t say it. Instead, not knowing anything about this place or these people, I nod, acknowledging his desire.

Hector rotates, bringing me around to face Kheldar. “This is Sol, my wife.”

Kheldar’s eyes skip with amusement as he quirks an eyebrow at Hector. “Wife? I heard you had married.” He turns his gaze to me, and my breath catches at how much he looks like Hector. If he were a little taller, and he didn’t have the scar near his mouth, I would mistake him for Hector in a dimly lit room. “Hello, Sol. I’m the bastard younger brother.”

Bastard? Then they don’t share a mother?

“Hello,” I say.

Kheldar tilts his head to the side as he studies me long enough to make me shift against Hector. “And you are?” When I glance between the men, Kheldar grins. “This is the part where you tell me what tribe you’re from.”

“Oh.” I brush the hair from my cheeks. “I’m Kyanite.”

Inwardly, I brace myself for Kheldar’s scorn or hate. He offers neither.

“Of course, you are,” Kheldar says. “Hector likes to make things interesting.”

“Or challenging.” Luc shrugs.

I swallow and lace my fingers together.

“Oh, Luc, Luc.” Mirth twinkles in Cenric’s eyes as he slaps his cousin’s back. “Don’t forget the part you played in all of this. You practically ordered Hector to marry Sol.”

A frown yanks at Luc’s mouth, but he doesn’t reply.

“Regardless of how we arrived at this point,” Hector says, his tone somehow warm and firm at the same time. “I’m blessed with a wife.”

“So, you are.” Kheldar grins. “In truth, I had heard your wife was Kyanite. I heard other interesting stories as well—some of them quite fantastical. Should make for interesting dinner conversation.”

He has? Like what?

Cenric snorts. “You don’t know the half of it,” he says, then looks away when Hector glares at him.

Adelaide slips from her father’s arms and moves to stand directly in front of Hector. “Gabriel!”

His expression softens as he kneels, and she moves into his arms. “Hello, Addie. Did you grow taller?”

“Yes.” She points to the gaps where three of her baby teeth had once been. “Gabriel, look. I lost three teeth.”

“No, no, child,” Cenric says with an easy grin. “You must call him Hector now. Or…” he scratches at his jaw, “you could call him Uncle Hecky.”

Hector scowls as Adelaide looks between Cenric and Hector, then a smile beams across her lips.

“Uncle Hecky!”

She embraces Hector again, and he pulls her close and glares over her shoulders at Cenric.

When Cenric laughs, I hide a smile behind my hand. It’s all too comical. The nickname. Hector’s obvious disdain for it.

Kheldar nods toward the noblemen waiting behind him. “We have a room in the palace for everyone. Shall you follow us?”

“I need to visit someone first,” Hector says. “Then we will join you.”

ChapterTwenty-Six

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