Page 79 of Revenant

Sage quickly made herself scarce, which is good considering I’m not sure I’d be able to control her if she got her claws into Eryx. She has some…unresolved resentment toward him, but that needs to be dealt with a different day. Right now, the only thing that matters is Alicent.

Elias wordlessly pulls the book out from the shelf, releasing the latch so we can enter the tunnels toward the archives. We let him go first, his body practically buzzing with adrenaline. And I’m not exactly sure if it’s anxiety from Alicent being away, or because he’s ready to beat his brother to a bloody pulp.

“Your little lap dog didn’t want to tag along?” Bastian asks, poking fun at the situation, so he doesn’t have to face the reality of the situation. That’s what he does, he deflects. Never taking responsibility, always making light of whatever problems arise so he doesn’t have to deal with it head on.

“I’m afraid if she did, there’d be no more Eryx left.”

“I’m not so sure that’d be a bad thing,” Elias mumbles under his breath, catching us all by surprise. “I’m just saying, a lot of our issues, as of late, are a direct result of him. Brother or not, it doesn’t give him a pass with me to do whatever the fuck he wants.”

It’s strange seeing their dynamic change so swiftly. Eryx and Elias have always been brothers above everything else; nothing has ever gotten between them.

Until now.

Now everything is all messed up, and I find myself missing the first few days when they didn’t want anything to do with Alicent. When she was all mine. Now, they all get a piece of her, big or small, and I’m stuck looking from the outside in because Eryx thought I was getting too attached. He instructed me to teach the new fledgling in hopes of creating some distance. If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that matters left in Eryx’s hands only bring havoc. It’s better for everyone involved if I just make the effort to handle it. Meanwhile, the space between Alicent and me grew and gave every opportunity for the rest of them to worm their way in.

Eryx included. Whether he wants to believe it or not.

A smell so potent fills the air, reaching me like a calling card, a scent I’d recognize anywhere. Notes of almond and cinnamon dance in the air amongst the dust particles, making the place look unsettled, disturbed in a way that puts me on edge in a heartbeat.

My eyes look around the room frantically, and aside from us, the place is deserted. Elias pulls my attention as he walks to the table in the center, tracing his fingers over the stone like he’s reminiscing on a memory.

He looks at me as if he knew I was watching, a coy smirk spreading on his lips before it sets in. She was here.

With him.

I close the distance between us, my mind reeling with the possibility. Underneath her overwhelming scent is his. Both of their arousals mixing together, like they belong with one another. “You—you and her? Here?” My words come out unbelieving, the evidence causing my stomach to churn. Eryx mentioned something back in Alicent’s dorm, but truthfully, part of me was hoping he was full of shit. Just stirring the pot like it’s his job.

However, it’s a whole different feeling when the truth is consuming all my senses.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Pryce. After all, you’ve been having another witch warm your bed. Well, former witch.”

Anger takes precedence over everything else, and before I can think better of it, I slam him against the table, the surface splintering on impact.

“Here we go,” Koen mumbles somewhere to my left. My arm presses against Elias’s windpipe, causing his smile to fester as though he wanted this.

“You think this is a fucking joke?” I seethe. “Rubbing it in my face that you had the honor of being with her? Of tasting her, feeling her? Gloating as if it wasn’t a privilege?” Strong hands attempt to pull me off, but I stand my ground, leaning forward and putting more of my weight against his throat.

“Pryce, let him go. This isn’t the time.” Bastian attempts to reason with me, but it’s no use. The smell is everywhere, infusing my rage, making it explosive.

“Don’t even, Bas. You can’t stand there and act like you’re better than him. You’ve been reaping the benefits just as much as he has. With me occupied, it gave you all the perfect opportunity to slide in—”

“Hate to break it to you, but there’s no place on this earth that would require you to be out of my way. Face it, your priorities were somewhere else. It’s not our fault she decided to seek refuge in us. You may have wanted to give her space after initiation, but when push came to shove, you were nowhere to be seen.”

They’re all acting like I chose this, as if I wanted to deal with Sage and be the one solely responsible for what came after she turned.

I whirl around to face him. If I have to take them both on, so be it. This has gone on long enough and I’m sick and tired of being the butt of a joke I had no part in making. “Face it, you can’t handle that with me out of the picture, she would’ve never looked in your direction. Any of your directions!”

Bastian takes a step closer, our noses nearly touching, and I don’t miss the way his fingers curl together at his sides, fighting the urge to swing. “You have to be pretty full of yourself to think that. Last time I checked, she’s not a prize to be won, Pryce. Stop acting like you’re better than us because, from the way it sounds, you only want her so you can have bragging rights.” My fist makes contact with his jaw, catching him by surprise.

“Guys, this really isn’t the time,” Koen chimes in, sounding not the least bit concerned. “We can hash all of this out later, but right now there are more pressing matters.”

Bastian comes at me, both of us disregarding anything that comes out of Koen’s mouth. His fist comes straight up, hitting beneath my jaw, hard enough to cause me to fumble back.

“You need to get a grip,” Bas yells, still not letting his guard down. Koen steps leisurely between us, appearing as though he’s over this situation, but I know him. And it’s eating him up inside.

He places a hand on Bastian’s chest, grounding him in place. “Both of you, cut it the fuck out. Elias, stop feeding into this. We don’t know when she’s going to be back, and we need to have a handle on Eryx before she reappears. Do I make myself clear?” He raises an eyebrow, expecting all of us to agree.

Bastian slightly deflates, his hackles slowly falling as if he understands. Elias grumbles something like an agreement, and that just leaves me. The person who’s been out of the loop for far too long. Sure, I’m irritated that in my absence, she’s found comfort in the rest of them—well, almost. Jealousy licks up my spine because I’m not sure if the damage that’s been done can even be repaired, or if there’s room for me in her life amongst the others.