Page 76 of Lore of the Wicked Wood
Veros’s voice, heated with malice, cut through the night.
Atlas spun away from Everinne to face him, only to see Veros’s fist right before it connected with his face.
Pain ricocheted through him as bone crunched, as Veros’s knuckles slammed into the space right below his left eye. Off to his right, he heard Everinne scream. Midnight stars danced in front of Atlas’s vision, and he staggered backward, blinking through the agony. He rolled his neck, regained his bearing in just enough time to see Veros readying another swing, but this time Atlas lunged forward, tackling his friend to the ground.
They collided against the cold stone in a crash of fists and grunts, exchanging blows like they had in their youth, when one of them lost a bet. Except this time, there was more at stake.
“Stop!” Everinne cried. “Veros, enough!”
But they ignored her pleas, grappling against one another, each of them taking well-placed swings. Atlas landed a swift punch to Veros’s jaw, splitting his friend’s lip open. Veros retaliated with a hit to his ribs, the cracking unmistakable. White hot pain speared through him as his blood rushed to heal the wounds. Vile curses escaped Atlas through gritted teeth, and he rammed his elbow upward, connecting with the underside of Veros’s jaw. Spasms of agony seared him, but he fought through the throbbing aches, because this discomfort was nothing compared to what he’d already suffered. He would take each hit without a care and fire back with one of his own, becausenothing, absolutely nothing, would cause him more torment than being separated from Everinne for a lifetime.
Then suddenly Veros was being ripped off him and Caedian was there, tossing the Lord of Time across the garden patio as though he weighed nothing more than a bag of sand.
“That’s assault on the Imperial Prince, my lord.” Caedian stood with his sword drawn, its tip aimed at Veros’s throat. Gone were all traces of humor and friendship, and in their place was the cold-blooded resolution of an esteemed warrior. “Stand down.Now.”
Veros straightened, a line of rage creasing his forehead, cutting between narrowed brows. He ignored Caedian, the focus of his ruthless glare directed toward Atlas instead. His chest heaved, his busted knuckles fisting at his side. “You swore an oath to me.”
Atlas stood, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, and his flesh came away smeared crimson. “And I’ll uphold it. I’ll protect her.”
Everinne stalked toward them, her hands planted on her hips. She stared her brother down, but he didn’t so much as spare a glance in her direction. “Do not speak of me as though I’m not right here.”
“Just not from yourself.” Veros spat, his bloodied saliva staining the stone ground at his feet. The accusation was clear. “She deserves more. She deserves the world.”
“I will give her the world! The sun and the moon. The sky and all of its stars. The petal of every flower, every drop of rain, every snowflake from winter’s coldest months. I’ll give her every damn mountain and the endless sea.” Atlas threw his arms wide, anger heating his veins, causing his blood to boil. “I will give her everything!”
“And what of your loyalty?” Veros countered, stepping closer, then freezing in place as Caedian once again raised his weaponin a silent threat. “What of your fidelity? Will you remain faithful to her or?—”
“Is that what this is about?” Atlas exploded, his fury engulfing the pain carving its way through him, cut open by the hurt of his friend’s open condemnation. He’d grown accustomed to the reputation he held, to how others perceived him, but never in a thousand years would he have imagined Veros would make the same callous assertion. The betrayal stung deep. “You think I’ll sneak off to have illicit affairs while she’s sleeping inmybed?”
Veros’s jaw locked. “I won’t allow her to be another one of your conquests.”
“I’m standing right here!” Everinne shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the hollow loathing of her brother’s words.
“You don’t think I’m worthy of her.” Not a question, but a testament to the truth. Atlas nodded slowly, stepping back, the realization all too clear. “Is that it, Veros? My closest friend thinks the worst of me, just like every other fucking soul in this damned city. That my magic, the power I wield, is also the substance of my character. You think I’m a rake, a playboy prince, who’s undeserving of his sister.”
Veros’s shoulders bunched, and a vein ticked along his temple. “She’s fragile.”
“I most certainly am not,” Everinne huffed, her warm breath misting before her.
“Fragile. Such a curious choice of words, my lord.” Atlas ran his thumb along his jawline, considering, his contempt palpable. “Fragile…yet you’ve sat back and watched her break, refusing to use your almighty magic to help her.”
“The hands of time are not so easily altered.” Veros bristled, crossing his arms over his chest. “You know I have boundaries. Limits.”
Atlas scowled. “As do I.”
“You humiliated her in a room full of people!” Veros erupted then, stalking so close that the sharpened edge of Caedian’s extended sword bit into the skin of his flesh. “They called her your whore, Atlas. How do I know you won’t hurt her again?”
“Because she’s my fucking mate!” Atlas roared, the rein of his control snapping, leaving him full of untethered wrath.
But a tiny, barely audible gasp held him in check.
His gaze flicked to Everinne, who stared at him in utter horror. Eyes wide and round with fear, she looked at him as though he’d just professed to being a monster, a demon of the night, as opposed to confessing the truth that had damn near killed him every day. She stood frozen in place by the words he’d shouted out of desperation, and in the thaw of the aftermath, she ran. Fleeing. Her heels clicked against the patio as she tore into the gardens, vanishing into the night.
Atlas’s shoulders sagged. He roughed a hand over his face, raked his fingers through his hair, then stared at his best friend. “She’s my mate, Veros.”
“I know.” His words were a hoarse whisper. “Why do you think I made you take that vow?”
Atlas dragged his gaze back to Veros, and with the flames of anger now just dying embers, he realized it wasn’t vexation that was harbored in his friend’s hardened expression, but something more like fear. Vast and all-encompassing.
