Page 72 of Sea and Sky
Claps rang through the room. Poor Kyler seemed to be lost, Gavin kept him close. He’d explain later.
Leander gestured for Gavin.
Kyler followed and watched as Gavin went to his knee in front of Leander. Gavin pressed his fist to his heart.
“Brother,” Gavin started. “I swear my fealty to you.” He meant the words whole-heartedly.
“Rise.” Leander clamped his hand on Gavin’s shoulder and squeezed. “No need for formalities between us. I know you don’t wish to be a pawn, and so I relieve you of your princely duties. Live your life as you see fit. You’re welcome to stay at the palace or go your own way. You’ll always have a place here if you want it.”
Gavin blinked back at Leander. “Truly?”
Leander nodded. “Truly. Go live your grand adventures. Find more merfolk for Kyler. But live how you’ve always dreamed. Help people. Just promise that ifyouneed help, you’ll come to me.”
“I—Yes. Thank you.” Gavin pulled his brother into a hug, not caring how it’d look.
Once they released from each other, Leander looked to Kyler, which made Gavin’s nerves rise again. “And you, young Kyler.”
Kyler stood at attention. “Yes, sir?”
A soft smile lifted Leander’s lips. “You are a friend of the realm. Please keep my brother company, but you too have a place at court if you so wish.”
Kyler blinked back. Gavin squeezed his hand and brought his knuckles to his lips to kiss.
Ambrose clapped, drawing everyone’s attention to him… and Sebastian, the dark-haired beauty, standing close.
“But what of Gavin’s Grand Mage status?” Of course, Ambrose would ask. He wasn’t an ass about it, but he could have waited. It didn’t matter now.
“I failed my Task,” Gavin said, as he pulled Kyler even closer. “But I think I got something better.”
“I don’t believe you failed,” Leander said. “Kyler had explained that he absorbed the phoenix stone, and he stands before us. In the eyes of Lane, Gavin, you are a Grand Mage.”
Gavin’s knees nearly buckled. He had his merman, and he was a Grand Mage.
“We’ll have the proper papers written up. But for now, we will feast.”
Epilogue
Six Months Later
“Areyousureyoudon’t want your favors?” Gavin asked as he trailed kisses down Kyler’s torso.
“I’m free and happy. What more could I want?” Kyler laughed when Gavin licked his cheek as if to taste him.
“Skies, pixie dust makes me want to fuck you into the ground.”
“Yes, please.” Kyler pressed into Gavin’s erection, making them both moan.
They’d traveled Lane for months, going to all the libraries Gavin had been denied entry to and finally they ended up at the pixie king’s court.
Kyler had been apprehensive about being experimented on, but Gavin had sent a message ahead explaining Kyler’s past. Gavin and Kyler no longer kept secrets from each other. Gavin knew the full extent of what Vex and others had done to Kyler and gotten him help. Kyler didn’t think he’d ever wash away the other men, but knew Gavin would cherish him as he cherished Gavin. They didn’t share everything with the pixie king. Kyler’s past was something he still processed daily, and he was grateful for Gavin at his side. They never discovered why His Majesty or Vex wanted the phoenix stone. But it didn’t matter anymore. Vex was dead and His Majesty was confined for now.
The pixie king—Arden—agreed on no surprise experiments given Kyler’s past. He had asked to observe Kyler in merform since he hadn’t met a merfolk before. Kyler was happy to oblige. Even gifted him a scale.
Now, after exhausting all other ideas on uses for pixie dust, they writhed in their borrowed bed in a beautiful pixie guest room. The jeweled curtains shimmered in the windows with the breeze. The scent of jasmine and honeysuckle surrounded them. Fireflies seemed to dance throughout the room, but it was magic itself.
Gavin wore his pendant that kept Kyler’s haze at bay. They hadn’t yet ventured to find other merfolk—Kyler wasn’t ready. But they had found a few more journals like his parents’ that gave him information.
“Please, don’t play. I’m so hard everything hurts.” That was the problem with pixie dust, apparently. Just a pinch aroused Kyler so deeply that if he didn’t get satisfaction soon, he hurt.
