Page 23 of Ashborne Forged

It was impossible to ignore Gil’s staring, but when I looked at him, he shook his head. His voice was hoarse. I hoped he wasn’t becoming ill.

“This is real,” he breathed. “You two really are mates? Like Donavyn and Bren?”

I sat up, snapping my head around to catch eyes with Voski, whose hand was on my hip, but his eyes were wary.

“They’re mates like this too?” I gasped, then shook my head at my own stupidity. “Wait. Of course. Their dragons are mated. That’s why she had to go to Fyrehold. She didn’t tell me!”

“She couldn’t. Not while they were there,” Voski said patiently. “And I’m guessing she didn’t want to pressure you now—”

“Nah, they’ve guessed. At least, Donavyn has. I’m sure of it,” Gil offered casually. We both looked at him. “What? He asked us if you’d talked about it. I bet Ronen that you were lying.”

“You’re laying bets about my matebond?” Voski seethed.

“The one you tried to say didn’t exist? Yeah, that one,” Gil returned pointedly.

“But, how did you know?” I asked, trying to keep hurt from my voice. “And why are you talking about us?” I hated gossip. In my society, reputation was everything, and gossip was a weapon to bring down the enemy behind their backs while you smiled to their face.

Gil scratched the back of his neck. “I mean, we didn’t know. That was the point. We suspected. But Ronen said it was up to you to tell us, and Donavyn didn’t think you could keep your hands off each other if you were. I guess he was only partly right,” he said with a wicked grin.

I don’t know what expression Voski shot at him from behind me, but he straightened his face pretty quickly.

I squirmed with unease. I hated the idea that they’d been talking about us.

“Don’t worry, Grace,” Gil offered a moment later. “Everyone thinks you’re incredible. It’s Mister See You In the Shadows over here that they’re less impressed by.”

“Wait, who is everyone?” Voski snapped. “You’ve been talking to the whole squad?”

“Of course not.” Gil rolled his eyes. “I spoke with Ronen. Ronen spoke with Donavyn. I assume Donavyn talked to Bren—they are mates after all. Apparently bonded pairs share everything,” he said as an aside, shooting a look at Voski. “But if anyone else suspects, they haven’t talked to me about it. I heard some chatter when you first arrived, some assumptions about the time alone while you were traveling, but it died down pretty quick when they saw Grace fly. No one’s doubting that she’s meant to be here.”

My heart fluttered at the compliment, but Voski was tense. Without thought, I put a hand on his thigh, wanting to soothe him. And to my surprise, I felt his muscle relax.

But Gil, who’d noticed my hand, screwed up his face and spluttered.

“Oh, gross. Oh, shit. You two, in the treehouse—in that bed? Fuck! I mean, not fuck, but… well, yeah—” He cut himself off, shaking his head. “You know what I mean. Shit, Voski, I can never sleep in there again now!”

I was mortified. Voski sat up, catching my hand as I drew it back, off his thigh.

“Stop being a dick.”

“I could say the same thing,” Gil retorted. I blushed to my roots. Why did men always have to call each other by rude body parts or functions? “Grace, if you change your mind, I know a woman who’ll help you escape. This prick can get feisty. You don’t have to put up with—” he cut off, flinching and laughing, as Voski tossed a pebble at him.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Voski snarled. “Show some respect!”

Gil pushed to his feet, still chuckling. “Is respectful now defined as a quick tumble in the treehouse?”

With a curse, Voski shot to his feet, pulling me behind him as he pushed into Gil’s space.

“Please don’t fight—” I pleaded, grabbing the back of Voski’s shirt as he shoved Gil back a step.

Gil stumbled, but kept up that taunting grin. I wanted to smack it off his face. He was doing this on purpose! But when Voski shoved him again, harder, my irritation turned to worry when Gil’s eyes glittered and he fended him off.

“Yeah, Vos,” he said blocking Voski’s further attempts to get hands on him. “You can definitely hide this and keep it together when the other guys are around. You’re an enigma. They’ll never suspect a thing.”

Voski stopped trying to reach him, but his hands clenched to fists at his sides. “Shut. Up.”

Gil wasn’t smiling anymore. He pointed one thick finger at Voski’s chest. “I don’t know if it’s the matebond blinding you, or if you’re really this thick-headed, but you need to wake up. We’re all at risk if you walk her back to the Keep and they’re in the dark. You’re going to end up knifing someone—and it won’t be their fault.”

I sucked in a breath, memories of that moment I’d thrown the knife at that footpad, flooding back to punch me right in the gut.