A hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against a hard body she recognized instantly as Braith’s. She remained stiff, wooden within his grasp. She did not try to kid herself, they had grown close, she believed he might even care for her, but his loyalty would always be to his family, and his kind. He could not protect her from this, even if he did want to, which she wasn’t quite sure he would. He turned her away from the door, spinning her to face Jack.
Maggie was right he was handsome, though she didn’t think him as handsome as Braith. He was as tall as Braith, with a slightly leaner, more whipcord build. His hair, lightened by his time in the sun, was not as dark as Braith’s but had lighter streaks of brown and gold highlighting it. His eyes were steel grey, piercing, and severe as his gaze locked on hers. She glared fiercely back at him, anger curling through her as she tilted her chin defiantly.
“I take it you two know each other,” Braith grated, his voice low in her ear. She clamped her jaw shut, resisting the urge to swing her hanging feet back and kick him in the shin. But pissing him off right now would do her little good. “Is she who you’re looking for?” he demanded harshly.
Aria remained unmoving in his grasp, her hands fisted tight as she stared hard at Jack/Jericho, her new greatest enemy. His eyes remained on her, narrowed slightly as he took her in. “One of you answer me!” Braith snarled, shaking her slightly within his grasp.
“Put me down!” she snapped. His grip simply tightened on her. Anger and frustration boiled through her, everything inside of her seemed to explode at once. She wanted to scream, wanted to kick and claw and go wild, but she did none of those things, she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her broken. She folded her arms over her chest as she focused her gaze behind Jack, and on the gardens.
Seeming to realize that she was not going to bend, Braith placed her slowly down but did not release her. He kept his arm latched around her waist. “My family will not come for me,” Aria said softly. “No matter what happens, what is done to me, they will not come for me. They can’t.”
Braith hissed softly, his fingers clutched on her stomach. He pulled her tighter against him, pressing his body flat against hers. Jack’s eyes widened slightly as he surveyed her and Braith. “Damn it Arianna! You should have told me!” Braith growled.
She shuddered, wishing she could take solace in his arms, like she had before, but she knew there was no solace to be found this time. Telling him wouldn’t have changed any of this; it only would have denied her the few moments of happiness she had found with him. And no matter what, she would not forsake those moments for anything, not even to avoid this. He could not protect her from this; he could not stop his family from hurting her, not once his brother revealed who she truly was. She did not even pretend to kid herself that he could, it would be impossible.
Aria closed her eyes, fighting the hot wash of tears in her eyes. “I can’t let you turn her in Jericho.” Aria’s eyes flew open in shock, Braith’s hand brushed briefly across her stomach, stroking her gently. She was trembling, shaking within his grasp, uncertain as to what he was saying. He released her slowly, pushing her behind him, pinning her against the door. “I can’t let you tell them.”
Jack’s eyes widened, shock radiated from him as his gaze darted wildly over them again. “What are you saying?” he inquired softly.
“I am saying that you will not be leaving this room until we figure something out, but it will not involve you taking her, and it will not involve you telling them who she is.”
Aria rested her fingers lightly on Braith’s back, too stunned to move for a moment. Slowly, hesitatingly, she peered around his back to look at Jack. “Braith…”
“You may be mature now, but I can still take you,” Braith growled.
Aria gasped softly, Jack’s mouth parted slightly as his dark eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Braith,” she breathed. Her fingers curled into the shirt he wore, she was awed by the fact that he was willing to protect her.
“She can’t stay here Braith,” Jack said softly.
“You’re not giving her to them!” he snarled, taking a small step forward.
Aria jerked on his shirt, trying to pull him back. His body quivered in rage, his muscles fairly vibrated with it. She did not want to die, she did not want to be handed over to be tortured and used against her family, but she also did not want to watch two brothers fight because of her. She did not want to see Braith hurt because of her.
“I never intended to,” Jack told him.
Both Aria and Braith started at his soft words. “Excuse me?” Braith grated.
Jack rocked back on his heels. “Apparently we have a lot to discuss, but you can rest assured that I am not here to turn Aria over to our father.”
“Then what are you here for?” Aria whispered.
Jack turned to her, his eyes hard. “To bring you home.”
Aria’s mouth dropped, her fingers dug tighter into Braith’s clothes as she trembled against him, stunned and thrilled at Jack’s words. Home! To be home in her forest, with her friends, and her family! To be free, running wild, back in the world that she knew and loved so much. To be amongst the animals and trees, to breathe fresh air and not have to be leashed in order to do so. It was all so wonderful, and she wanted it so badly that she could nearly taste it, nearly feel it.
And then she felt Braith as he turned slightly toward her. She felt the heat of his gaze behind his glasses, the shock that held him as she tilted her head back. She knew she could not keep the hope from her gaze, but there was a new sense of longing swirling rapidly within her. She would have her freedom, but she would not have him. She clung tighter to him, unable to let go, unable to stop the fierce surge of terror that shot through her.
What was wrong with her? She should be embracing this, should be halfway out the door with Jack right now, not standing here feeling rattled, confused, and a surprisingly fierce ache in the region of her heart. Her head dropped against his chest, she could hardly breathe through the shocking pain swamping her. She barely knew him, yet the idea of parting from him was almost unbearable. He remained unmoving for a moment before his hand entwined slowly in her hair and he cradled her gently against him.
“Yes,” Braith said softly. “Apparently we do have a lot to discuss.”
Chapter 12
Braith did not move away from the door, he did not let her step away from him. He wasn’t going to let her anywhere near Jericho, or Jericho anywhere near the door, until he truly felt he could trust his brother, which might never happen. “What has happened here?” Jericho asked softly.