Arianna seemed oblivious to his surprise over this new development as she continued to glare at Jack; her chin raised in defiance, her eyes narrowed in anger. Braith’s gaze turned back to his brother. “I came here willingly, and I know that there is no future for us Jack. You don’t need to continuously remind me of something that I am painfully aware of. I wanted this. I needed this.”
Though her voice was strong, Braith could see the tears burning in her eyes. “Aria,” Jericho said softly, looking lost and dumbfounded. Her fingers curled fiercely around Braith’s arms, she clung tighter to him, shaking slightly.
“I know everything,” she told him. “I know it all and I accept it for what it is Jack.”
“Do you know about the blood slaves?” Jericho demanded fiercely. “The many he has kept in the past months? Do you know what he has done to them, with them Aria? You are not special!”
Though Braith still thought of him as his brother, he was beginning to realize more and more that this man before them was no longer the Jericho he had known, but was in fact more the Jack that Arianna knew him as. This was not the same brother that had left the palace, it was not the same Jericho that Braith had grown up with, and been close to. This man was a stranger, one that seemed determined to rip Arianna away from him. He didn’t think it was because Jericho had romantic feelings for her, but in fact had come to think of her as a sister, or a good friend. One that he was trying to protect, unfortunately Jericho seemed hell bent on trying to protect her from him. And hell bent on hurting her, and tearing her away from him, in his desire to try and keep her safe.
Jericho just didn’t realize that he was trying to keep her safe from someone that would die to make sure that she stayed that way also. And Braith knew that the man across from him was no longer Jericho, but was in fact, the man that he had rebuilt himself into. He was now this creature called Jack.
Arianna glanced up at him, biting hard on her bottom lip as her eyes swam with tears. Anger spurted through him; she had been hurt and jerked around enough. He could not stand the fact that she had to experience even more of it. He cradled her face lightly in his hands, savoring in the feel of her silken skin. “I know,” she said softly.
Braith rested his forehead against hers, taking a small moment to steady himself. Taking a small moment to enjoy the peace and splendor she brought to his hectic world. The last thing he had ever wanted to do was reveal to her what a monster he had been these past couple of months, he was immensely glad he had now.
“Jesus,” Jack whispered. He pulled a chair out from the table and slid limply into it. “What have you done Braith? What have the two of you done?”
Braith kissed her softly, holding tight to her for a long moment before pulling slowly back. “I put some clothes out for you; they’re on the chest in my room. Please go get dressed Arianna.” She glanced at Jack, her forehead furrowing in consternation. “We’ll be fine,” he assured her.
She paused for a moment more before finally nodding her consent. He watched as she moved swiftly down the hall, glancing wearily back at them. She hesitated before slipping around the corner and disappearing from sight. Braith turned slowly back to his brother, folding his arms firmly over his chest as he stared hard at him. Jack didn’t know that Braith could see the incredulous look on his face, didn’t know that he was watching his brothers every move.
“What is this Braith?” he asked softly.
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly.
Jack frowned at him, his hands curled upon the table. “She may think that she can handle this, but she can’t Braith. She’s strong Braith, she’s seen a lot, but she’s also very innocent to the ways of the world. You didn’t see her after I took her away from there. You don’t know her the way that I know her…”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Braith demanded.
Jack sighed as he leaned forward in his chair, clasping his hands before him on the table. “I’ve been in those woods for six years Braith. I’ve seen firsthand what these people suffer through, what our kind has forced them to suffer through. I’ve known Aria for over four years now, she’s proud, she’s wild, and she has one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known. She’s been broken ever since I pulled her out of that palace. She may think she can handle this, she may even feel that she is prepared for it, but compared to us she is just a child Braith. And it’s obvious that she’s in love with you.”
Braith shifted slightly, glancing behind him to see if she was coming back yet. He was bristling, resentful of his brother’s words, and the fact that Jack seemed to think he knew so much more about her. “She is more than a child,” he grated.
“She is seventeen years old! You are to be king; you are to be married…”
“I don’t need you constantly reminding me, or her, of that fact!” Braith snarled. “I was not lucky enough to be born the middle, or youngest son. I was not lucky enough to get the chance to leave that place, and all of my responsibilities, behind. I was not lucky enough to escape father’s brutality!”
Jack was silent for a long moment. “I know that Braith, probably more than anyone, it was why I wanted to leave in the first place. Though, at the time I had wanted to win father’s favor by doing something daring, and treacherous. I wanted to earn his respect, and I wanted him to think of me as more than just a punching bag. But once I was free, and amongst these people, I realized just what a monster he is by living amongst the people that he has hurt even worse than us. Aria’s family, and Aria, is the biggest contributors to this realization. She’s special, I care for her, and I do not want to see her hurt anymore. You’re my brother, I love you, but I’ll never return there. These are my people now, I need to protect them.”
“And you think that I won’t protect her?”
Jack studied him for a long moment. “I think you will try, but there is only so much you can do. You hate father as much as I, but you have always been big on responsibility, and duty. You will not turn your back on that. It is why I did not tell you that I was going to take her. I knew you would stop me simply because it would weigh heavily on your conscious to be involved with such treason.”
“You have been gone for a long time Jack; you don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about,” Braith growled.