“Yeah,” Boaz said, trying hard not to look at the spot where he and Alexander had shared their first kiss. “But I have to live, right?”
“Right,” Hansel said. He paused for a beat. “You and Alexander, huh? I didn’t see that coming.”
“Me neither. It just… happened. We just gravitated toward each other somehow,” Boaz said, a faint smile touching his lips. “He was a pain in the ass.”
Hansel let out a laugh. “You hated him.”
“I did,” Boaz said quietly. “I hated him so much.” He wiped at his eyes quickly before Hansel noticed.
Hansel didn’t hesitate this time. He wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.
“You’re going to be okay, Boaz. Everything is going to be fine,” he said.
Boaz leaned into his brother’s shoulder, watching the slow waves roll across the lake. The moon above was brighter than usual, spilling silver light over the water.
“Yeah… I will be,” Boaz said softly.
The ache in his chest was still there, but for the first time, it felt like something he could survive with.
***
Nine months later.
“Did he say what he wanted to see you about?” Hansel asked, panic creeping into his voice.
Boaz took his eyes off the road for a second and glanced at him.
“The damn war is not happening again,” Boaz said. “Relax.”
“How do you know? We didn’t think it would happen again, and it did,” Hansel said. “I can’t go through that again. Can’t we find a way to make sure they don’t open the veil again?”
“If you come up with something, I’m all ears,” Boaz said as he turned down the street leading to Manlius’ house.
Even though he didn’t want to admit it, he felt uneasy too. The thought of another war sat heavy in his chest. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he took a slow breath.
He pulled the truck up to the curb and stepped out. Hansel followed closely behind, tense and restless beside him.
A few seconds after they knocked, the door opened. Manlius stepped aside and let them in.
“Is everything alright?” Boaz asked as he stepped into the house.
Manlius didn’t answer. He simply turned and walked down the hallway toward the candle room.
“I told you,” Hansel muttered as they followed. “Nothing good ever comes from going into that fucking room.”
He stopped abruptly as they entered.
“This is bad. Killan is here.”
The Fae king stood by the window, and in his arms was a baby wrapped in a soft blue blanket.
“What is going on?” Boaz asked, staring at the baby, his heart thudding hard in his chest. He wasn’t sure why the sight of it unsettled him so deeply. “Whose baby is that?”
“I think you know,” Killan said.
“What?” Boaz frowned, glancing back at Hansel. “I don’t…”
Manlius stepped forward and took the baby from Killan. “Do you remember when you and Alexander went upstairs and stayed in the room meant for the couple we were marrying?” he said, gesturing between himself and Killan. “This is the result.”