Flame Touched

Chapter Seventeen - Eian

Camila was a young woman he could get along with. She wasn't the most beautiful girl in the line. Her long dark hair had been straight and pulled back into a braid that made it obvious she was not from the city. Dull hazel eyes gazed at him the entire time. Her body, thin and toned. Attractive, very much so, but not textbook gorgeous like the curvy vixens with the pouty lips that had made up the rest of the line. Eian picked her because when he had looked into her eyes last night, he had seen her soul. He was eager to go back to her and explore it more thoroughly.

Breakfast first. He stepped into the dining hall of the great Inero castle and quickly stood next to his twin brother Matteo. Together, they waited for Lynx to enter.

"Are you—" Matteo began to ask softly.

"Yes, I'm fine," Eian said stiffly. "Let's get breakfast over with."

Matt nodded. "I know it's hard, but they'll understand when they realize their fun times are nothing more than that. You have integrity and that is something you should be proud of. Your marriage will be a first to last, and they will envy it."

"Yes, I know," Eian said, the words feeling dry on his tongue. Hopefully his brother would get the hint that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He was already embarrassed enough as it was. If he knew it wouldn't have been a great insult to his father, he'd have skipped breakfast all together—for a few days, even. It was the only meal he shared with the man. The others he either ate alone—with the few kin who made up his small circle of friends, or the plethora of wives his father had accumulated over the years. With them, he didn't feel he had to put on an act.

Matt eyed his brother for a moment. Their gazes locked, and Matt frowned followed by an eye roll. "Okay, sorry."

Their father entered before Eian could reply. All eyes went to the man, and everyone bowed their head. Lynx made one motion with his hands for them all to sit. The twins sat on their father's right side, like always. With Matt home again, the arrangement was back to normal and everything was as it should be. Eian's plan was to eat slowly, keep his mouth occupied with food, and eavesdrop on everyone else. This would be the plan until his brothers all decided to move past his remaining purity and find something better to occupy themselves with. Surely, there were more important things going on in the empire. Must have been a slow past few days for news.

To share breakfast with their father was a great honor, Eian needed to hold onto that fact. It was Lynx's favorite meal, and the one where he had the most time to converse. Only his favorite sons were allowed to attend it. Out of almost five-hundred sons, Matteo and Eian were favored the most. Eian was special like his brother, not as close, but still valued. While Lynx did a lot to appease Eian just for the sake of his brother's happiness, he still held onto the small sliver of hope he was important too. He did try while Matt was gone. It's not like he had to talk to me. Maybe it's a sign our relationship can finally get over whatever block is in place. That'd be awesome.

He glanced over at his brother who was still glowering. "I understand you're trying to make me feel better," Eian said softly. He felt bad for hurting his brother. "I'm glad you're on the same page with me at least, but I didn't get to marry my childhood sweetheart like you did. I'm kind of on my own with this one. And I know what you did, by the way. Camila told me you were the one who took her."

"I was hoping she wouldn't recognize me," Matt mumbled. He glanced around the room and then sighed. "I may not be in the same situation, but that doesn't mean you are completely alone either. We've been together since birth. Do you honestly think I'm going to abandon you just because I'm married now?"

The brothers were a rare phenomena in the dragon species. Twins in any dragon line didn't happen often. Something about how the eggs formed inside of the mother didn't allow for twins. More often than not, one would die early in the pregnancy. To have identical twins like Matteo and Eian was near impossible, especially to have them be Touched. It did give them a unique bond over the one he had with all of his other brothers—half brothers, really. Lynx didn't stay with a woman long enough to make more than a few sons with one woman at a time. Eian and Matt had killed their mother in childbirth, apparently. They'd been the only children made from the brief union. He'd been told next to nothing about their mother. Lynx always got so angry every time Eian tried for more information that he eventually gave up.