Phoenix Found (Brothers of Fire #5)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“He’s gone? Already?” Quentin stared at Kaine. He’d wanted to see Oliver before he left the castle to stay at Kaine’s place while his mother was visiting.

Kaine wasn’t royal, and living at the castle raised too many questions. Not only that, but the risk of her seeing something paranormal also increased, and both Kaine and Dalmon had warned him not to have that conversation with her. No talk of witches or fated mates.

But he was allowed to talk about working in the castle library as a translator and historian—which was the title they’d given him.

“He wanted to go to his estate, and I agreed it was a good idea.”

“You sent him to his room. He should be surrounded by family.”

“He doesn’t see us as family, and he needs time to adjust. And if he wants to go to his estate, then I can’t stop him. But I can ensure his safety.”

Quentin pressed his lips together and crossed his arms. “ He’s seeing someone in the castle. He wouldn’t just up and leave.”

Kaine put his hands on Quentin’s biceps. “And his paramour is with him.” A smile curved his lips. “You don’t know who he is.”

He considered lying, but the curiosity was too much. He’d thought they were friends. How could Oliver have told Kaine and not him? “He told you?”

“No.”

“You spied on him?” It was Kaine’s job, and everyone was watching Oliver and Everest closely, but that didn’t make it right. “Isn’t he allowed some privacy?”

“You are desperate to find out.”

Quentin huffed. “It’s killing me.”

“If he didn’t tell you, neither should I.” Kaine teased. Because even as he spoke, he shared the information via the bond.

“Perrin?” There were so many members of staff he didn’t know them all.

“Head of maintenance. His father is the head chef.”

“The two who fought the other day?”

Kaine gave him a single nod. “Are you packed? Because you need to get familiar with my house before your mother arrives.”

“Mostly.” The document he was working on could wait until after his mother’s visit, but he wanted to take it with him in case he had spare time or an insight that couldn’t wait.

“After your mother leaves, you can go and visit Oliver. Given that his estate hasn’t been touched in over two centuries, there’s probably some forgotten texts.”

Quentin tilted his head. “Back to Perrin and the fight… Is Oliver safe with him? Is he really a gh oul?”

“Yes, to both.” Kaine lifted his eyebrows. “Do you think I’d have allowed it otherwise?”

“He stabbed his father in the eye.” Or at least that’s what he’d heard. The staff had said they were monsters and that they’d never trusted them.

Kaine stepped back. “It was self-defense. The Coven is backing Perrin, as am I and Gerrit. His father is recovering and will be asked to leave the castle. I understand that you’re worried about Oliver, but it’s rare that a ghoul will stand up to their family. In some ways, they are worse than wolf shifters when it comes to blood bonds.”

“They were fighting over Oliver?”

“Over Perrin’s right to choose who he marries.”

Quentin frowned. “Isn’t that rushing things?”

Kaine shook his head. “They aren’t getting married. I’m going to send you a link to access the Coven files on ghouls. Do some reading before you speak to Oliver. Also, while ghouls call themselves scavengers, it’s not polite for other people to do so.”

“What do you mean? What exactly is a ghoul?”

Kaine shrugged. “Just another paranormal being.”

There was more that Kaine wasn’t telling him, but he’d have better questions after he’d done the reading. He tossed his socks and underwear into the bag. It was only five days. And while he was excited to see his mother, it wouldn’t be a relaxing visit.

“Are you sure you want to tell her that we met in a bar?” They’d agreed to leave out the bit where Quentin propositioned him for what was supposed to be an uncomplicated hook-up. The Fates must still be laughing about that.

“The best lies are made of the truth. Less to remember and trip over. Besides, I’m not embarrassed about it, are you? ”

Quentin rolled his eyes. “There are some things I’d rather my mother didn’t find out about me.”

He was already going to be grilled for dating a powerful man who was ten years older. They couldn’t lie about Kaine’s job, as it was too easy to look him up.

“I won’t tell her that you love getting railed.”

Quentin glared. “Go and incinerate yourself.”

Kaine laughed and kissed him. “Stick to the script, and it will be fine…and maybe I’ll let you top tonight.”

“Oh…you’ll let me?” He didn’t know if he should be offended or annoyed by the way Kaine wasn’t taking him seriously.

Kaine wrapped his arms around him, and a wave of love washed over him through the bond. “You are more worried about your mother’s visit and your parents being seated at the same table than you want to admit. It’s much easier for you to be worried about Oliver.”

“I’m supposed to be the mind reader,” he mumbled while trying not to melt against Kaine.

“I didn’t read your mind. You’ve been on edge since she announced her visit, and you threw yourself into work as a distraction. Don’t adopt my bad habits.”

He let the tension ease and leaned against Kaine. “You don’t know what it was like. She couldn’t wait to leave me.”

But growing up, he’d never had a clue how much she’d given up, and he’d never felt anything but loved by her, while his father had been mostly indifferent.

“And you don’t know what it was like for her. If you don’t like each other as adults, then you don’t have to invite her into your life, our lives.”

“We’re lying to her. To both of them.” Not that his father would believe in the paranormal, even though it was right in front of him every day that he worked at the castle .

“Yes. And there is nothing I can do about that. We won’t see paranormals come out, but we can help plan for it.”

“You’ll see it next life. Fuck knows where I’ll be.”

“I’ll find you.” Kaine cupped Quentin’s face. “I will always find you.”

Those words were their own kind of magic as if saying them made it true. He wanted to believe they were, and that no matter when or where, there was someone who wanted him.