Page 21 of All the Pain of Promises
Solarius cracked a smile and smacked Ariesian soundly on the back. “That’s because he doesn’t have one.”
His eldest brother shot him a hard look. “Har har.”
The dazzling constellation above them took the shape of a siren diving through waves of starlight.
Solarius hesitated, stepping away from Ariesian, and Tovian clicked his tongue.
“Might want to catch her before she swims away.” He nodded toward the stunning display.
As if on his command, the siren constellation arched backward into another crashing wave moving across the sky.
Shit.
Solarius plucked an arrow from the quiver at his back, blowing out a low breath as he carefully notched it on the bow. Magic danced along his near-frozen fingertips as flickers of Tovian’s power skated over his skin. He could feel the intensity of his younger brother’s gaze upon him, watching him as he took aim. Solarius gripped the arrow, pulling his arm back, tracking the siren as she leapt and dove through the sky. The moon gleamed like an orb of silver, shrouded behind wispy veils of clouds, highlighting her every move.
It would be easy to summon his own power, to use the strength of the moon to outshine the constellation, to blast it into oblivion until it was all but forgotten.
But he could do nothing of the sort, not with all three of his brothers watching.
Solarius released the arrow, holding his breath as its sharpened starlit point pierced the siren’s heart and an explosion of gold and turquoise tumbled toward the earth.
He let the quiver slide from his shoulder and dropped the bow gently onto the ground. “I have to go.”
“Already?” Tovian’s brow pulled together, and he glanced to where the remnants of stars burned out completely. “But we’re just getting started.”
Solarius grabbed his gloves from a nearby pile of rocks and pulled them on. Almost at once, the fur lining them warmed his frozen fingers. His breath misted before him as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yes, but seeing as I’m the only one of us who is married now, I’ve been saddled with other duties.”
Nyxian strolled toward him, his loud, full laugh echoing through the mountains. “Because fucking Lady Narissa Seaborne issucha chore.”
Something dark twisted inside Solarius and he closed the distance between them in one stride. He matched Nyxian easily in height and met his youngest brother with a murderous glare. When he spoke, his voice was rough, like he’d swallowed a handful of gravel. Low and dangerous. “Mind your tongue when you speak of my wife.”
Nyxian threw both hands up in innocence. “I didn’t mean any harm, I simply?—”
Ariesian swatted him on the back of the head, a scowl marring his face.
“Just because Mother claims you’re star-touched, doesnotmean you can act like a complete ass.” He gripped the front of Nyxian’s collar and jerked him forward, his expression one of practiced malice. “You are a lord of House Celestine and you will conduct yourself as one. You treat Lady Narissa the same way you would one of your sisters, with respect. As you would defend them, you defend her. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Aries. Of course.” Nyxian ducked his head, his unruly dark blue hair tumbling across his forehead, hiding his scarred eye from view. Ariesian released him, and he sheepishly adjusted his coat, then tucked his hands behind his back like a scorned child. “Apologies, Sol. It won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.” Solarius softened, unable to be too furious with any of his brothers for long. “Otherwise I’ll tell every female in Aeramere that you’re in the market for a wife.”
Nyxian’s jaw dropped and the slash of sapphire cutting through the silver of his left eye darkened. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Solarius grinned, rolling his neck from one side to the other. It had been quite some time since he’d found himself in a brawl with one of his brothers, and his fists were ready. “Try me.”
Ariesian chose that moment to step between them, folding his arms across his chest. “Solarius, go home to your wife. I’m sure she’s patiently awaiting your arrival.”
Tovian and Nyxian snickered, but Ariesian’s head whipped in their direction and he cut them down, silencing them both with a single look.
“Do I need to arrange marriages for the two of you as well?” His voice rumbled like menacing thunder and the stars trembled.
“I hear Lilith is on the hunt for a husband,” Solarius added to the impending threat.
Tovian blanched, all color fading from his face. “Absolutely not.”
Nyxian, on the other hand, looked slightly more perturbed about the matter, a prominent scowl sketching across his brow. “Over my dead body.”
Lilith Vylera was a well-known succubus whose notorious bedroom activities had gifted her with a reputation, one that touted her incredible skills behind closed doors. She’d been eyeing the brothers of House Celestine for quite some time, butshe’d yet to snare one of them in her sultry clutches. In truth, they were all slightly intimidated and terrified by her as she lacked social decorum and was constantly flooding conversation with sexual innuendo.
