Aster gestured to the buttered rum and lifted an eyebrow.
Briar’s lips curved. He smiled, nodding.
“Happy solstice,” Aster said, and handed him a steaming mug.
Briar smirked. He lifted the mug to his mouth and sipped. Spiced, buttery cider bloomed his tongue. Rum warmed his throat. “I’ve never celebrated the solstice before. Is it always this extravagant?”
“Yes, every year. We usually feast for each solstice, but Yule is special. It feels like the start of something, you know?”
“It’s about making peace with our darkness, isn’t it? Accepting ourselves. Rebirth.”
Aster nodded. He took the seat at the head of the table. “That’s right.”
Briar sat beside him. “Have you made peace with your darkness, Great Duke?”
Clementine carved the pig, setting juicy pieces on each of their plates. Another server scooped potatoes, green beans, and a few other sides into perfect piles. Once Aster and Briar were fed, Clementine inclined her head, said, “Enjoy,” and took Mallory by the elbow, assisting her with her meal.
For a split second, Briar thought he may not answer. But after pulling a crispy potato from his fork, Aster said, “No, I don’t think I have. I don’t think I ever will. I’ll live with it, though. That’s all any of us can do—keep living.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Briar said. He poked a meatball with his fork. Around them, residents chattered and laughed, ate and drank, shared space as a family would. And a family they were, he thought. He leaned across the table and kissed Aster on the mouth. He tasted like cranberry and parsley. “I quite like your darkness, anyway.”
Aster smiled against his lips.
They ate. Laughed. Chatted with Luca and checked in with the rest of the residents. Talked about silly, domestic things with Sam and Jennifer—I would love to plant stargazers in the courtyardandAster, have you thought about getting a few honeybee hivesandBriar, the library looks stunning, well done. They shared desserts as Clementine set them out. Deep-dish apple pie, dark chocolate swirl cake, cherry-soaked shortbread cookies. Briar parted his lips for a bite from Aster’s fork, and Aster sucked buttercream from Briar’s thumb. Slowly, the dining room emptied. Dinner came to a close, snow fell in heavy flakes outside the windows, and residents retired to their favorite nooks and corners in the manor. Mallory joined Luca in the theater for a late-night movie. Jennifer and Sam had snuck off to the atrium. Clementine and the kitchen staff cleaned and talkedamongst themselves, and Briar, of course, followed Aster into the lonely sitting room.
“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” Briar asked. He draped his legs over Aster’s lap, settled astride him on the sofa.
Firelight streaked Aster’s fine-boned face. “What?”
“Companionship.This.” He rested his palms on Aster’s wide chest. “Luca was right. You were lonesome in this great, big house.”
Aster scooped his hands around Briar’s thighs, tugging him closer. He tipped his head. His mouth hovered below Briar’s chin. “You’ve found me out, Briar Wright.”
Briar met his slate gray eyes. Touched his fingers to Aster’s straight nose and the deep bow of his top lip.Beautiful, he thought.Beautiful and powerful and mine, maybe.He swiped his thumb across Aster’s flawless cheek, searching for the scar hidden on his ancient body. His clippings twitched, phantom limbs fluffing and stretching. One day he would feel them again. He had to believe that. Hedidbelieve that.
“It’s going to be a long night,” Briar whispered.
Aster held him. One hand crawled along his back, halting at the edge of his bandages. “Yes, I imagine it will be.”
“Keep my bed warm,” Briar said. He kissed Aster on the jaw, the cheek, finally, on the lips.
A cute, hiccupping laugh warmed his mouth. “Convince me.”
The fire popped and snapped. Music drifting from the foyer quieted.
Briar pressed his lips to Aster’s hopping pulse. “I. . .”
Everything stilled and went stiff as the dead. Even the wind paused, deeming the manor silent and stifled, until three hard knocks sounded at the front door. Plates clanked in the kitchen and voices whispered quickly in the library, but it was the fast-footed sound of Luca darting into the sitting room that caused Briar’s heart to drop into his stomach.
Luca’s bejeweled throat worked around a swallow. “Aster,” they said, and gathered another breath. “It’s your brother.”
“Uriel?” Briar asked.
They switched their gaze to Briar and flexed their jaw. “No, dear, I’m afraid not.”
Aster’s wide hands circled Briar’s hips and lifted, shifting Briar onto the sofa beside him. “Where’s my sword?”
Luca appeared struck. They shook their head, blinking rapidly. “In the foyer closet, I believe. Would you like me to retrieve it?”