Page 78 of Brandy Snap: Part Two
“That’s because Cas and Sin are shit at admitting they have fucking witches for parents,” Kai shot back.
“Is that really appropriate right now?” I asked, and he pouted in reply. He knew what kind of effect that had on me, so I fed myattention back to Melanie before I became distracted. “What did she do to you?”
She looked at Kai, weighing up her options, and it ached that she had to consider how much she could trust us. But we’d brought that on ourselves.
“She’s made it really clear she doesn’t want me anywhere near you.”
It was the same thing she’d said when I asked her. Melanie once grew annoyed with me for speaking without actually saying anything, and this felt like a similar trick.
“Does this have anything to do with your private conversation with her?” I asked.
Kai and Caspian stood on alert as she nodded. They both went to ask questions, but I raised a hand, telling them to wait.
“You’re making it sound like I had a choice,” she said. “The first time she went for me and Kai in a nearly empty corridor, then she broke into my nest, and then she basically kidnapped me.”
“Wait, hold up,” Kai interrupted. “What the fuck do you mean, she kidnapped you? I mean, I’d guessed it was her that hit you, but she kidnapped you as well?”
She glanced between all three of us before she recounted the stories of each time Zania approached her.
And it wasn’t only the treatment of Melanie that triggered Caspian and me. It was the fact she mentioned Zania had cornered Kai on multiple occasions as well.
Caspian had calmed down enough to view the situation from a mildly reasonable perspective. Which was impressive, at least when he was coming back from the edge of a rogue state.
And that perspective afforded him the honour of assessing his own behaviour by how Melanie was once again in tears as she had finished her story.
“Melanie.” I stood with my back to Caspian, which could be considered dangerous if I didn’t believe Kai would stop him if necessary.
I took her hands in mine, bringing her closer to me. I wanted to lick the salt from her skin, but it really wasn’t the time.
“I won’t ask you to forgive us,” I said, nudging Caspian through the bond, who had the decency to at least feel guilty. “But I want to reach a place where you can trust us from here on out.”
Kai pressed his chest against her arm, nuzzling her neck, but her gaze remained fixed on Caspian, solidly glaring at him.
As soon as I embraced her, I kissed her hair while wrapping my other arm around Kai. We needed to talk to him about what Zania had done as well, but Caspian’s focus was still on the money.
Melanie eased out of my hold, glancing between all three of us. “How can I trust any of you if Caspian barges into my nest looking like that?”
“Well, it’s not your nest anymore, is it?” Caspian snapped.
A snarl tore from her, and I swore she was going to leap for him.
But pain flowered in her scent, squeezing my heart.
She thinned her lips as she clutched at me for support, giving him such an agonising look that even Caspian flinched.
Kai scowled at him. “Wow, Cas. You’ve said some pretty shit things over the years, but that was the fucking worst.”
Kai clung even harder to her, feeding her love and tenderness. All while my own aura flared, sending Caspian as much love as I ever had to make sure he stayed lucid.
Caspian’s glare shot to me, firing an angry pulse of energy through the bond.
“I’m fine.” He glowered at me. “Enough of that shit.”
“I won’t stop until you’ve fully calmed.”
“I told you I’m fucking fine,” he growled.
I gave him a pointed look. “I won’t risk you coming near Melanie in that state.”
