“You whole?” Kieran asked in a voice that felt as rough as my throat.
I closed my eyes. “Going to be.”
“Good.” The hand at the nape of my neck firmed. “Missed you, man. Something fierce.”
“Same.”
“Also wanted to punch you in the dick for doing what you did,” he said, and a thin laugh left me. “Still want to, to be honest.”
“You know why I did it.”
“I know.” Kieran squeezed the back of my neck. “That’s the only reason why I’m not punching you right now.”
I laughed again, lifting my head. “That and the fact you’re afraid Poppy would kick your ass for it.”
He chuckled roughly. “True story.”
Gripping his shoulder, I met his stare. “You do know why I gave myself up, right? I had to stop Isbeth. She was hurting Poppy.”
“I know. I do. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from you,” he said. “Doesn’t mean I had to like it. Doesn’t mean Poppy had to either.”
Nodding, I felt that tremor in his hand again. And knowing him for my whole life, I saw the shadows of dread in his eyes. The unasked questions. The evil he feared had preyed upon me, and the nightmares he worried would see a resurrection.
I clasped his cheek with my left hand and leaned my head into his. “It wasn’t like last time. The only thing taken from me was my blood.”
Some of the shadows cleared but not all of them. “Was that all, though? Truly?”
A muscle ticked in my jaw. The quiet of that cell. The coldness. The hours and days and weeks of that—the desperation and everything else. No, that wasn’t all.
Kieran palmed my cheek. “You got me. You got Poppy. You aren’t alone. We’re both here. Always and forever.”
Fuck.
The knot hit my throat and dampened my eyes. “Yeah,” I said in a voice full of gravel. “I know.”
His chest rose in a deep inhale, and then his gaze flicked to the closed door. He didn’t ask. Didn’t need to.
“She’s asleep.”
Visible relief hit him. His eyes closed briefly and then reopened, the irises glimmering. “She’ll need to feed. It can’t be you. I’ll do it as soon as she wakes.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me for that.”
“But I do.”
He shrugged. “Not like I minded feeding her.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” I replied dryly.
One side of his lips curled up as he dropped his hands. “Come. There’s stew left on the hearth. You need to eat more.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Kieran snorted as he led me down the short, narrow hall, past two more closed doors. I looked behind me, hearing no movement. “What’s it look like outside?” I asked.
“Mist is fading, here and at higher points in the city, but it’s still thick in the lower areas.” Kieran entered a candlelit kitchen, picking up a bowl from one of the shelves along the wall. “Sounded like they’re still dealing with the Craven. If they’ve realized any of us are missing, they’re not out in full force yet.”
“That’ll change soon enough,” I said, scanning the wide chamber. Blinds covered a large window behind a table and chairs. Several daggers were scattered across the table’s surface. “How long do you think we have?”
“Probably the rest of the night and maybe the day.” He went to the pot at the hearth. “We’ve got to make our move before nightfall.”
Made sense. We wouldn’t have to deal with the knights then, but the Revenants? Another story. Isbeth may not be leashed to the moon like the Ascended, but she wouldn’t dare to come out during the day and risk exposure.
I glanced at the entryway again. “Where is everyone?” Namely, where was my fucking brother?
“The mortals—Blaz and Clariza? They’re asleep.” Kieran ladled a small lake’s worth of stew into a bowl. “Good people. Did Poppy tell you the woman’s a descendant?”
“She mentioned it.” I took the bowl and spoon, stomach rumbling at the herb-heavy scent. The bowl felt a little strange in the four-finger grip, but it was something I’d have to get used to.
Kieran went to the small table, taking a seat. I stood since I’d spent enough time on my ass. “The draken’s snooping around outside, hopefully keeping himself unseen and not burning anything.”
My brows rose as I chewed the chunks of vegetables and chicken. Something Poppy said came back to me. “Did he really try to bite you?”
“Fuck, yeah, he tried.” Kieran’s jaw hardened. “He isn’t real keen on social skills. You’ll probably find him amusing.”
I grinned, swallowing the thick stew. The grin faded, though, as Kieran watched me. I didn’t want to ask because if the answer was one I didn’t want to hear—that my brother wasn’t here—I’d lose my shit. But I had to know. “Malik?”
“Asleep in the front room, passed out on the settee.”
I felt something. Didn’t know if it was surprise or relief.
Kieran leaned forward. “He helped you when you were in that cell?”