Until the Resistance had tortured him, that had been the worst three months of his life. He’d had no idea where Maris had gone. No one knew anything about what had happened to him.

No one in Maris’s family had even cared. Darling would never forget the words Maris’s father had growled at him when he’d asked if Maris’s father knew where he was. “Hopefully, he’s in a grave somewhere. At least then he can’t shame us anymore.”

By the time Darling had tracked him down, Maris had become addicted to drugs and was selling himself for food and shelter. He’d looked so terrible. Gaunt and pale.

His entire body covered in sweat, Maris had been lying naked on a flea-infested bed that had been crusted over with stains. He’d been so out of it that he hadn’t recognized Darling at first.

Once Maris realized who he was, he’d thrown up all over him.

Darling had carried him out of there and then stayed with him for weeks as he sobered up. Maris hadn’t touched anything stronger than sweet wine since.

To this day, Darling had no idea what he would have done had he not found Maris that day. Maris was the one person he could always confide in without fear of being judged or hated. The only person who’d kept his most guarded secret and held it close.

Darling sighed. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?”

“Through thick and thin, brothers to the bitter end.” Maris tucked his hand into the crook of Darling’s elbow before he leaned over and whispered in Darling’s ear. “And you did offer yourself to me last night. I’m just too much of a lady to take advantage of you when you’re drunk.”

Darling smiled at Maris’s old joke. Then he sobered as his thoughts turned to a more somber topic, and a new fear. “Did you, um… did you bring Zarya in through the front last night?”

Maris scoffed. “I am not that stupid. My goal was to get you laid, not bitch-slapped. I daresay had she seen your little tribute to all the failed assassination attempts, especially from the Resistance members she might recognize, she would have probably run screaming straight into traffic.”

Darling was extremely grateful for Mari’s common sense. “Would you mind having the groundskeepers disassemble my… tribute, as you call it?”

“Oh thank the gods. I’m really sick of seeing and smelling that.”

Yeah, it was pretty grisly. But it had made the point Darling wanted to make with his enemies.

Mess with him and it would be the last mistake of your life. “Have them return the bodies to their families.”

“And your uncle?”

“Burn whatever’s left. There’s no one to mourn him. I sent my aunt and cousins to the Summer Palace to stay with my mother. Drake said that they’re happy now that they finally believe I have no intention of killing them or selling them off. I don’t want to do anything to taint that for them. They deserve to be happy after all they’ve been through.”