He shifted so he could press his lips there then he moved me to press my face in his neck.

He then resumed holding me.

After some time, I noted quietly, “You said the words.” I paused and added, “Now, twice.”

He gave me a squeeze and not quietly, replied, “I did.”

“It is quite unfair, the first time you did that and then raced off into battle without allowing me to return them.”

“I’m not racing anywhere now.”

I lifted my head and looked down at him.

And without delay, declared, “I love you, Cassius Laird, my warrior, my prince, my future husband. And I love that you love me too.”

A small smile quirked his mouth as he stroked my cheek tenderly with his knuckles.

“Jasmine, I think, would approve of me falling on your cock in my grief,” I remarked.

Another smile quirked his mouth before he replied, “She would indeed.”

I felt my face crumble as Cassius watched it, which was why it was again shoved into his neck and his arms went around me tight.

I wept even as I asked, “How’s Mac?”

“Undone.”

His word made me weep harder.

“She was loved, darling, and she knew it,” he whispered.

I nodded.

And I was glad for that.

But it didn’t make me feel the slightest bit better.

After a while, I calmed, but Cassius did not move, neither did I, even if I knew I must be heavy, and I also knew he was leaking from me and that had to be aggravating.

“Your seed,” I muttered.

“Ignore it,” he muttered in return.

This was easy for me to do, as it wasn’t aggravating me.

“Cass—”

His voice was deeper when he ordered, “Ignore it, Ellie.”

I sighed.

Cassius started twisting my hair around his fingers.

“She would agree with the dragons,” I told him.

“She absolutely would.”

“She was a warrior to her soul.”

“She was. And she lived every second of every day of her life on this earth to its fullest.”

“She did. And she was the best friend anyone could have.”

“Yes,” he agreed.

I burrowed closer into my prince.

“I love you, Cass.”

“And I you, my Ellie. You own me, body, heart and soul.”

I pressed deeper and the tears came again.

Because I loved he gave me that.

And Jasmine would love it too.

And through my tears, Cass held me.

I loved he did that.

And Jasmine would love that too.

125

The Brother

Queen Ha-Lah

Amphite, Underwater Capital of the Mer

STRAIT OF MEDUSA

The table was long that separated my king and husband, Aramus, from my other king, Jorie of the Mer.

But as long as it was, it was truly even longer, for the two men sitting at opposite ends of it, scowling at each other down the length, were making it thus through obstinacy.

I sat at Aramus’s side, waiting for him to say something.