At least they agreed on that. Caelan and Rayne had lingered in captivity in hopes of getting more information as well as trying to keep Croft’s focus on him and not on what Eno and Drayce were doing. They needed a chance to get food to the people without Croft and her supporters interfering.
But there was nothing to be gained by staying now. They needed to escape and meet up with Tomas. Make plans for the Godstone and Croft, if possible. Fuck, he was exhausted just thinking about this. Eno and Drayce had to be even more fatigued after all they’d gone through recently.
Regardless of what escape plan they cooked up, they could wait long enough for them to catch up on some sleep. Their final steps to the Godstone were going to be their hardest yet.
18
Eno Bevyn
Eno braced his hands on the damp marble sink, his head bent. Most of the steam had dissipated from Drayce’s shower. He’d be lucky if there was any hot water left for him.
But right now, he couldn’t move.
His head was still spinning. Giving Caelan and Rayne the update on Green Gate hadn’t required much thought. His brain was still too occupied with what they’d learned downstairs.
He was from New Rosanthe.
He was born in the country that was now his enemy.
He wasn’t truly a child of Erya. His parents hadn’t been born here.
But he had no memory of the place of his birth. He pressed one hand to his forehead, as if the added pressure could help him remember. There were vague impressions of traveling and a feeling of fear, but he couldn’t recall the faces of the people he was traveling with. There was definitely no memory of a baby.
He had a brother. A younger brother.
Was he still alive? What had he done with his life? Did he know about Eno?
A brief knock on the door had Eno straightening. It opened before he could speak, and Rayne slipped inside holding what looked to be a small first aid kit. His stomach churned at the sight of his lover and he turned back to the sink, not able to meet his gaze.
Rayne was another issue that was tangling up his thoughts and slicing away at his heart. Of all the people, why had Rayne been so silent when his horrible revelation had come to light? At the very least, why had he given Eno no shred of hope when they were alone with Caelan? Was he truly disgusted with Eno’s true origin? Had all the trust Eno had earned over the years evaporated before his eyes?
He wanted to grab him and shake him, rage at him for being so fickle. How could he give up on them already? Eno had been so convinced that Rayne cared for him, that he was going to stand by him, but in the first real test, Rayne’s mouth was shut and his demeanor was cold and unapproachable.
It was a stupid dream after all. The idea that he could win over someone like Rayne. He had a fucking prince chasing after him. How could he compete with that? There was no question of Prince Shey’s parentage or loyalty.
What pissed him off the most was not being afraid of what Caelan thought; it was worrying about what Rayne thought of him.
Eno pressed his palms into the cool marble, trying to rein in his rampaging emotions. Rayne stepped up to the counter beside him and opened the box. He started removing ointments, tape, gauze, and other items.
“Remove your shirt, please,” Rayne instructed in a low voice.
“Fuck off. I’m fine,” Eno grumbled.
Rayne drew in a noisy breath through his nose, and Eno could see that stubborn look in his narrowed eyes in the mirror. “You’re not fine. Your clothes are soaked in blood and riddled with slashes. I need to make sure that you’re not bleeding. These cuts could be getting infected.”
“I’ll take care of it myself.” He jerked out of Rayne’s grasp when the man grabbed at his shirt. “Where the fuck was this concern earlier? Are you sure you can stand to touch a New Rosanthe bastard?”
Rayne snatched his hand away as if he’d been scalded. His mouth fell open and no sound came out, but that lasted for only a couple of seconds. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about what the fuck didn’t happen in there,” Eno shouted, pointing toward the sitting area.
Clenching his teeth, Rayne lunged around Eno and jerked on the water in the shower. He knew what the hell he was doing. The sound was to muffle their argument from Caelan and Drayce in the next room.
As soon as Rayne straightened and put a little breathing room between them, Eno leaned in and shut the water off. “Quit wasting my hot water!”
Rayne got so close, the tip of his nose brushed against Eno’s. “Then lower your damn voice.”