Their Fireheart

Chapter Seven

"It was worth it," he murmured. "You were worth it. All these years, all the waiting. You're worth it."

Tears pricked my eyes at his words, and I hastily looked away, distracting myself with neatening up the bandages and ointment adorning the bedside table.

"That's the healing tonic talking," I scoffed. "Chaol made it sound like you're even meaner than I am."

"Maybe I just can't stand idiocy, and Chaol can't help opening his giant mouth," he retorted.

I huffed a low laugh at his characterization of the captain - which I didn't exactly disagree with.

He managed to haul himself up halfway into a sitting position, patting the bed next to him. "Come here."

My shoulders slumped in relief that our bond from a decade ago still remained, plopping down onto the mattress next to him. His full scent hit me, and for a moment all I could do was breathe it in - fae instincts roaring that he was her family, that this was Aedion. I'd know him if I were blind. Except -

There was something else. Something both distantly and recently familiar that tickled the back of my throat. Where had I -

Oh. Oh fuck.

Well, I guess it was fortuitous indeed that I'd freed the Cadre. Even though I had no idea how I was supposed to add one more earth-shattering tidbit to what I would need to tell my cousin, I would. Just, not yet -

Avoiding the conversation for another few heartbeats, I plumped up the pillows behind him, running a critical eye down his face - making sure he was comfortable, reassuring myself he was here, he was safe. He stared back, scanning me in much the same way. The predators within us assuring the other was okay.

Finally, I leaned back against the pillows, turning to face him. "Do you want to go first, or should I?"

"You," he said softly. "Tell me everything."

And so I did.

We talked for hours, only interrupted when Aedion's voice became hoarse, and I had to bully him into drinking a glass of water. Or when I went to fetch him some bread and broth, determined to get him back into fighting shape as soon as possible. No one bothered us all day, which was for the best - I didn't think I could share my cousin right now.

I told him everything that had happened to me in the last ten years, every ugly, unpleasant truth. He was the only person I would never hold anything back from.

We'd been created from the same metallic ore, two sides of the same golden, scarred coin - forged in the same fire.

As soon as I'd seen him on that platform I'd known our bond had stayed the same, despite the years apart. It was a soul-deep assurance that couldn't be explained.

He told me of his years as general of the Bane, those long years masquerading as a loyal soldier to Adarlan, while secretly planning ways to usurp and deceive the empire. And I had never been more grateful for his fae senses when he told me of the black ring offered by the king, and how he'd promptly tossed it away.

I told him of my time in the Assassin's Keep, the mines of Endovier, the very castle he'd had to report to. I explained my journey to Wendlyn, to Prythian - and everything I'd uncovered there. The firm grip of his hand around mine while I explained how I'd both found and abandoned my mates was more comfort than I deserved. That hold tightened when I'd explained my confrontation with Maeve, why I'd come back to Rifthold - how I'd discovered the news of his execution.

I told him everything.

Everything except for one, tiny, insignificant detail -

The sun was setting as we sprawled out onto the bed, our souls drained and grieving, but slowly knitting together, buoyed by newfound hope and joy.