Page 99 of The Champion

Stryder made his way over to him.

Kit looked up as Stryder’s shadow fell across him. “‘Tis a dismal feeling, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“Not belonging. Having other people judge you for what they believe you are and not for what you really are.” Kit gave him a wry smile. “Too bad you have no older brother to go and thrash them for you. I would offer my services, but they only laugh at me whenever I try to defend myself or someone else.”

Damien’s words came back to him as Stryder squatted by Kit’s notes. “Has it always been that way with you?”

Kit looked away from him.

“Kit?” Stryder asked, drawing his brother’s attention back to him. “Where were you when I went to Michael to find you? He said he had thrown you to your own means when you returned. Where had you been?”

“Nowhere.”

“Kit...”

His brother looked aggravated by the inquisition. “Take not that tone with me, Stryder. I’m not one of your men to quake in terror of it. I happen to know you would never hurt me.”

Nay, he would not. Ever. But he wanted answers to this. If Kit were in fact Ganymede...

“Why won’t you trust me?” Stryder tried again, this time more calmly. “After these last few years together, I still know very little about you.”

“You know enough.” Kit’s gaze locked with his. “You are the only brother I have ever known. The only family for that matter. And until the night you saved me in Canterbury, I never knew what it was like to belong anywhere. For that I thank you and I would never betray you or any you hold dear.”

Those words were so odd and out of character...

Stryder offered him a brotherly smile of affection. “I regret the years I wasn’t there for you, runt. I wish you’d never known a day of sadness.”

“I know.” Kit looked back at his paper.

Stryder paused to watch three men walk by. Men who glared maliciously at him and Kit.

He rose to his feet, and the men immediately quickened their steps.

“I envy you that power,” Kit said quietly as Stryder looked back at him. “What I wouldn’t give to make people tremble in fear of my displeasure.”

“Then why don’t you train as a knight? I would teach you everything I know.”

Kit scoffed at that. “I’m frail. Too thin.”

Stryder beat back the anger those words evoked. “Raven is thinner than you are and younger than you to match, and yet he wins more fights than he loses.”

Kit locked gazes with him. His brother’s eyes were piercing. Searching. That intense stare made something inside Stryder almost cringe. “And if I told you I was attracted to other men, what would you say?”

“Nothing,” Stryder answered honestly and with conviction. “That would never matter to me. We are brothers, you and I. Nothing changes that. Ever. Wherever I am, you are always welcome and I will kill any who says otherwise.”

Kit’s eyes teared as he looked away.

Stryder knelt beside him again. “Kit?”

Kit glanced back at him as a single tear fled down his cheek. “Why is it only you and Rowena who have ever seen that truth in me? No woman will look at me unless she’s trying to use me to get to you. Why is that?”

“I know not. Any more than I can understand why they misjudge me now. But you know something...I care not what these fools think. Do you?”

He saw the indecision on his brother’s face.

“Kit...”