Page 124 of Crossbones
Before I can tell him what I’ve been meaning to tell him for a while, there’s a commotion near the door. I realize the fighting has stopped. Bodies are strewn around the room—a lot of bodies. The cannon fire has also gone silent. Thaddeus is standing a few yards away, sword dripping blood, looking towards the door at who is striding through.
“Welcome home, brother!” Thaddeus calls.
Caspian and I look at the same time and shock momentarily leaves me speechless—
What the fuck is going on?
“It’s good to be back.” The two men clasp hands in a bloody grip before familiar grey eyes slide to mine, and the Duke of Brookveil winks.
CASPIAN
“Brother?” I mutter, just as confused as Blackwell at seeing John step into the throne room. “What’s going on?”
“Help me up,” Blackwell says.
I get his arm around my shoulders and haul him to his feet. We make our way over to Thaddeus and the Duke—the fucking Duke of Brookveil.
John nods to me and James. “Gentlemen.”
“I’m sorry—” My brow furrows in confusion and I shake my head as I look between Thaddeus and the Duke. “Were you using the termbrotherliterally or figuratively?”
Thaddeus smirks and the Duke chuckles.
“Literally,” Thaddeus says.
I look between them, still waiting for the punchline.
“I must still be drunk—I didn’t know you had a brother, Thaddeus—”
Thaddeus has a look of amusement on his face. “That’s because I never told you. I actually have two—ah, there he is now.”
I look towards the door and Blackwell curses as Anders walks over.
The pirate embraces John fondly—then Thaddeus—and my jaw is officially on the floor. Anders turns to Blackwell and looks him over.
“Well, you’ve looked better, Blackwell,” he says dryly.
“What the fuck,” I say again vehemently.
The brothers exchange glances. With them all side by side, I can see some of the resemblance. Thaddeus is obviously the oldest one with John only a few years behind him. Anders has a larger age gap but the family traits are there all the same.
“Guess this is as good a time as any,” John shrugs.
“Gentlemen, I’d like to formally introduce you to my brothers—Johnathan Draevorn and Anders Draevorn.”
“Draevorn…” I mutter. “Thaddeus—” I pinch between my eyes in exasperation, already feeling a killer headache coming on. “You’re not implying what I think you’re implying…”
Blackwell’s eyebrows shoot up. “The exiled House?”
Thaddeus nods. “A House we will finally restore to power—now that the De’Vero royal family is dead—well, most of them.”
I huff a laugh and give them a wry smile. “You won’t get any objections from me. I’ve told two of you how I absolutely don’t want to rule, and I stand by that. But—” I look between them again. “Which of you is going to take the crown?”
John chuckles. “Oh God, none of us—”
“Not even you Thaddeus? All this time, working to overthrow the De’Vero family and you’re not going to take it for yourself?”
Thaddeus shakes his head and looks at Anders. “I didn’t do it for me.”
