Page 33 of Astaroth
“He barely nicked me,” Aster said, wheezing on an exhale.
“Clearly,” Briar said, eyes still trained on the starless sky. Finally, he turned and sighed, framing the gash on Aster’s stomach with his thumb. “I assume you have a medical kit.”
Aster watched him darkly. His long, curved horns shadowed his face. He huffed, “Yes, Briar, I have a medical kit. Are you all right?”
“I’m not quite sure.” He took Aster’s forearm and helped him to his feet. “Let’s get out of the cold.”
Luca trudged through the snow, bundled in a fluffy robe, carrying Aster’s peacoat. “Well done, Great Duke! Always a pleasure to witness an angelic boxing match on the longestnight,” they said, sighing. “Not to be preachy, but violence isn’talwaysthe correct choice.”
“No, but it’s always the fun choice.” Aster took his coat and flinched, worming his arms through the sleeves.
“Oh, yes, clearly. Anyway, I see you’ve had your ass thoroughly beat. Whiskey?”
Aster rolled his eyes. “Yes, Luca. Neat, please. Make it a double.”
“Anything for you, Briar?” Luca tossed the question over their shoulder as they stomped into the foyer.
“Tea, thank you. Lemongrass with honey,” Briar said. “We’ll be in the library.”
Sam and Jennifer peeked into the entryway, huddling close near the kitchen, and Mallory held her skirt with one hand as she bounced down the stairs, carrying a sturdy, white medical kit. The rest of the staff stole quick, cautious glances, and Clementine clucked her tongue as she leaned into the hallway, glancing at Aster’s bare, bloody torso.
“Oh, stop,” Aster said, and sighed through his nose. “I’mfine. Go back to the festivities. Eat. Turn on the music. Enjoy the solstice.”
Briar glanced around the manor, flicking his gaze from one worried face to another. “I’ll see to him,” he said, gentling his voice. He took Aster’s arm. “C’mon, then. Let’s go.”
Aster ambled through the hall and mumbled, “Thank you,” under his breath when Briar opened the door. He sank onto the fainting couch, holding himself upright with his palms. “I’d like to not ruin the sofa. It’s an art piece, I guess. Luca would have my head—”
“I would, indeed!” Luca howled. They swept into the library with a serving tray balanced on their palm and a towel bunched neatly in the crook of their arm. “Here, let me put this down.Come, come, sit up, okay, and—there. Rest easy, sire. I’m sure you’re in wonderful hands.”
Mallory followed behind Luca, placing the medical kit on the secretary. “Is there anything else I can fetch for you, my Lord?”
“Yourwhat?Good God, Mallory. No, no, go enjoy the solstice. I’m fine, really. Nothing to worry about,” Aster said. He plucked the glass from the tray and brought the beverage to his lips, taking a long pull.
“I’ve got him,” Briar said, nudging Mallory’s elbow. “Go on.”
Hesitantly, Mallory curtsied and left the library.
Chapter Eleven
Snow drifted past the window. Lamplight streaked the floor. Briar wrung the tremble out of his hands and opened the white kit, sifting through bandages, antiseptic, capped syringes, and suture materials. His pinky brushed a pack of cleaning cotton.Steady. He swallowed, stealing a glance at Aster. The Great Duke studied him, following Briar’s every movement with half-lidded eyes. The wound wasn’t terrible. The bleeding had already slowed and started to clot, but it required stitches.
“I’ll need to clean it first. From there, I’ll stitch the wound and apply a bandage,” Briar said. He made a valiant attempt at channeling the confidence he’d once had on the battlefield.
Aster hummed. “Briar—”
“You will let me work,” he snapped. Something hot and acrid filled his throat, like anger but worse. “You will be silent, Astaroth. You will be still and grateful, and we will argue once I’ve tended to you. Do you understand?”
Aster set his teeth against his bottom lip. He didn’t nod. He simply froze and watched. Briar attempted to ignore the duke’s hot glare, but even as he worked, wiping blood from his batteredskin, sliding a needle along the mouth of the wound and pulling it closed, he felt Aster’s inquisitive gaze all over him. With the stitches in place, Briar taped a soft, dry bandage atop them, covering the gore from view. It hadn’t taken long. Ten minutes, maybe. But the silence stretched into an eternity.
“You’ve tended to me,” Aster said, voice even and gentle. “May I speak?”
Briar swallowed thickly. “Yes.”
“You don’t take orders from Michael any longer.”
“I don’t take orders from you either, remember?”
“You aren’t obligated to clean up his mess or handle his mission. What happened tonight shouldn’t impact your decision—”
