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“It’s too many people for her comfort.”

“She is the Sisters’ chosen leader of our realm. Her comfort and privacy are somewhat moot at this point anyway.”

A rumbling growl escaped Brand. “It needn’t have been this way. She would’ve come on her own.”

“I’m sure she intended to, but I knew how much care she’d need after freeing you from the darkness. I couldn’t risk it.” Araxis shook his head. “There’s only one who comes close to rivaling Lunara’s healing abilities in Nachthelliae, and it took everything to bring her around enough to accept a blood gift.”

Brand heard what his brother was trying to avoid saying. “You tended to her.”

Araxis looked away. “To be clear, everything she will no doubt recount to you had to happen very specifically, for reasons I cannot disclose. Try not to think too harshly of me. I gave her my utmost respect under the circumstances, I swear it.”

“I believe you.”

Truly. Brand was seeing many things differently, and it was no hardship anymore to realize he and Araxis were…the same. He just prayed their similarities didn’t share a root cause. That would be too unbearable.

What mattered was, as he told Luna all those months ago, his younger brother was good at his core, even if it might not always seem that way.

“Will you still not elaborate about what I witnessed?”

“No. Don’t worry yourself, though. The Occurrence bought us some much needed time. It’ll be a while before we’re ready to beg her assistance with that particular shite. Speaking of which, please don’t breathe a word of it to Lunara yet. I promise we’ll tell her when the time is right. For now, all she needs to focus on is resting and getting to know her people so they trust her. That’s the most important thing. She made a lovely start of it tonight, once she calmed down.”

He’d never seen that desperate look in his brother’s eyes. And Araxis rarely said please, but this was the second time in as many hours. Something serious was happening in the Evesong. Of that, Brand was certain.

The last thing he wanted was his mate to get wrapped up in it, regardless of whether it was her sacred duty or not. There was enough shite to deal with. So, though the suggestion didn’t sit well, Brand could withhold from her for a little while, for everyone’s sake.

“Thank you for healing her,” Brand said, veering the subject away from more secrets and lies.

“Your blood would’ve done a better job of it, but you weren’t awake to offer. Which reminds me— there’s something we need to discuss. Another time. I’m saying it out loud so I don’t bleeding forget.” Araxis unlatched a small gate and held it open, looking anywhere but at Brand. “Now that you are awake, are you…well?”

Discuss?

Brand wedged his way through the narrow opening. “No.” No matter how dearly he wanted to, he was incapable of lying. “And yes. She makes all the difference. The rest will come later.”

“Are you able to leave the rage?” Araxis’s voice was much quieter, obviously realizing how bad it truly was.

“No.”

Araxis nodded, a sad smile tugging at his mouth. “Well, unfortunately, our most Blessed Keeper lives in a home the size of your bathtub. You aren’t going to fit through the door.”

Ah.

“If you like, I can take her inside. There’s a window in her bedroom, with a garden outside. Not the worst place to spend an evening, and you’d be as close as possible.”

“How the fuck do you know that?” Brand asked, a snarl in his tone.

Araxis held his hands up defensively. “Calm. I’ve been here a total of four times—when Cordelia informed me of its existence, when I waylaid Fern, shortly before the Occurrence magic set in and trapped us in the halls, and now. The first time was to assess the cottage and surrounding area and to shore up the spells protecting it, hence me knowing the layout. The third time, a couple days ago, I did the same and also brought food for the two of you. Of course, I did not consider the possibility that you might be stuck outside…”

All things that made sense. His brother’s literal job, in a nutshell.

Brand still wanted to shove Araxis face-first through the earth beneath their feet for knowing what Luna’s bloody damned bedroom looked like. For having knowledge of her, a precious little tidbit, that Brand didn’t.

Ridiculous.

“Shall I take her?”

Brand sighed and looked down at her, tracing one fingertip over her arched brow, her lips. “It’s strange how little of a struggle it is to let go when I know it’s in her best interest. I would’ve assumed the thought of being separated again might undo me, and yet…it’s the easiest thing in the world to make sure she sleeps in a real bed.”

His brother huffed. “You’re rather poetic when you aren’t clammed up, you know.”