Lover Reborn

proof.”

“But you can stipulate that if he is responsible, he’s mine.”

“Fine. He’s all yours—if we have proof.”

Tohr thought about the expressions on the faces of the brothers out in the hall. “You need to make it official.”

“Oh, come on, if I say—”

“You know what they’re like. Any one of them crosses paths with that shithead and they’ll peel him like a grape. Right now that male’s got more targets on the back of his ass than a shooting range. Besides, a proclamation won’t take long.”

Wrath’s lids closed briefly. “Okay, okay… stop arguing the point and go get a witness.”

Tohr went over and stuck his head out of the room—and as luck would have it, the first person he saw… was John Matthew.

The kid was parked by the recovery room across the way, butt on the floor next to a worried Blaylock, hands on his head like there was a fire alarm going off in his skull.

Except he snapped right to and signed, Is Wrath still all right?

“Yeah.” Tohr glanced down the corridor as Blay murmured a prayer of thanks. “He’s going to be fine.”

You looking for someone?

“I need a witness—”

I’ll do it.

Tohr shot up his brows. “Okay. Thanks.”

As John Matthew got to his feet, a loud crack sounded out, like his back was playing DIY chiropractor. And when he limped over, Tohr realized the kid had been injured.

“You have Doc Jane take a look at that?”

John bent down and lifted the pant leg of the scrubs he had on. His calf was wrapped in white gauze.

“Bullet or blade?” Tohr asked.

Bullet. And yes, they kept it as well.

“Good. How’d you fare, Blay?”

“Just a surface wound on my arm.”

That it? Tohr thought. Because the fucker looked a little hollow—then again, it had been a long night and day for everyone.

“I’m glad, son. We’ll be right back.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

As John came over to the wide-open door, Tohr stepped aside, and then followed him in.

“How you doing, son?” Wrath asked as the kid approached him and bent down to kiss his ring.

As John signed, Tohr translated, “He says just fine. He says… if it would not offend, he has something he and Blay need you to know?”

“Yeah, sure. G’head.”

“He says… he was with… Qhuinn at the house… after you were shot, before the Brotherhood arrived.… Qhuinn went out alone.… ah, Blay spoke with the guy a little while ago. Blay said that… Qhuinn told him he’d engaged with… Xcor… so that—wait, John, slow down. Thanks… Okay, engaged with Xcor… so that you could get free in the van—”

Beth stirred, her eyes opening, her brows tightening as if she were catching the drift of the conversation.

“Are you serious?” the king blurted.

“He took on… Xcor… one-on-one—” Holy shit, Tohr thought. He’d heard the kid had gone out there, but that was it.

Wrath whistled under his breath. “That’s a male of worth, right there.”

“Wait, John, let me catch up. One-on-one… so that Xcor, who was waiting to attack the van, was neutralized.… He—John, that is—wants to know if there is some kind of official recognition that… you can give Qhuinn? Something to recognize… his above-and-beyond… service? And P.S.,” Tohr spoke for himself, “me, personally? I’m so on board with that.”

Wrath stayed quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry, let me get this straight. Qhuinn went out after the brothers arrived, right?”

Tohr got back with the translating. “John says no. It was on his own, unguarded, unprotected before they came. Qhuinn said… he had to do what he could to make sure you were okay.”

“That dumb-ass idiot.”

“Hero is more like it,” Beth said abruptly.

“Leelan, you wake.” Wrath became instantly focused on his mate. “I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Believe me, just hearing your voice is heaven… you can wake me up with it anytime.” She kissed his mouth softly. “Welcome back.”

Both Tohr and John got busy looking at the floor as tender words were exchanged.

Then the king came back online. “Qhuinn shouldn’t have done that.”

“I agree,” Tohr muttered.

The king focused on John. “Yeah, all right. We’ll do something for him. I don’t know what… but that kind of shit is epic. Stupid, but epic.”

“Why don’t you make him a Brother,” Beth interjected.

In the silence that followed, Wrath’s mouth dropped open, and it was a join-the-club reaction—Tohr’s jaw did likewise, and so did John’s.

“What?” the queen said. “Doesn’t he deserve it? Hasn’t he always been there for everyone? And he’s lost all his family—yes, he lives here, but sometimes I get the impression that he feels like he doesn’t belong. What better way of thanking him and telling him he does? I know no one doubts his strength in the field.”

Wrath cleared his throat. “Well, according to the Old Laws—”

“Fuck the Old Laws. You’re the king—you can do anything you want.”

More pin-drop silence swept in, clearing out even the sounds of the HVAC system blowing warm air through the ceiling vents.

“What do you think, Tohr?” the king asked.

As Tohr glanced at John, he was struck by how much he wanted to bestow the honor on the closest thing to a son he had. But Qhuinn was the one they were talking about.

“I think… yeah, I think it could be a good idea,” he heard himself say. “Qhuinn should be claimed, and the brothers respect him— Shit, tonight isn’t the only time he’s shined. He’s a stellar fighter, but more than that, he’s calmed down tremendously in the last year. So, yeah, I think he could handle the responsibility now, which is not something I might have said at any other time.”

“Okay, I’ll consider it, leelan. It’s a wonderful suggestion.” The king glanced back at Tohr. “Now, about that favor. Approach me, brother mine, and render thy form unto your knees—we have two witnesses now, which is even better.”

As Tohr complied and grasped the royal hand, Wrath proclaimed in the Old Language, “Tohrment, son of Hharm, are you prepared to have proscribed unto you, and you alone, the death of Xcor, son of an unknown sire, said demise to occur by your hands and your hands only in retaliation for a mortal affront against me this previous night—if said affront can be proven to be due to Xcor’s direct or indirect order? ”

Placing his free hand over his beating heart, he said gravely, “I am so prepared, my lord.”

Wrath looked at his mate. “Elizabeth, blooded daughter of the Black Dagger Brother Darius, mated of myself, your king, do you hereby agree to witness my grant should I deign to bequeath it on this matter to this male, carrying forth the representation of this moment unto all others, placing also your mark upon parchment to commemorate this proclamation?” When she answered affirmatively, he regarded John. “Tehrror, blooded son of the Black Dagger Brother Darius, also known by the names John and Matthew, do you hereby agree to witness my grant should I deign to bequeath it on this matter to this male,