Sticks and Stones

Chapter Forty-Six

She'd been asleep for a week, forced into a comatose state by the rune her brother had drawn on her arm.

It was a hard week for Caspian.

In Claudio's medical room, he watched witches come and go, each tending to the dark magic that'd charred his mate's stomach differently.

When the first witch had declared her stable, promising that she wouldn't die, Caspian had rejoiced. Thankfully, cauterising the wound had seemed to help. With the witches taking care of her, Cas functioned under the promise Sofia would get better.

On the seventh day of her healing, he sat by her bedside, her hand in his as the door opened to King Claudio.

Claudio, for once, walked without battle armour. He lingered by the door, taking in the space before him, then came closer, sitting on the opposite side of Sofia's bed.

Caspian readied himself for the questions that were bound to come. He was surprised Claudio had managed to hold out for so long. Thankfully, Rosa's return had kept him busy.

"So..." Claudio started.

"So."

"A lot has happened then."

Claudio didn't tend to dance around an issue—but Cas was glad for it this time. It gave him a much-needed minute to gather his thoughts.

"The mission was a success," Cas answered. "Rosa is back. Surprise or not. Everything that needed to happen did."

Claudio huffed, relaxing into his chair. "There was more than one surprise that night, I'd say. I don't know what shocks me the most. The fact that my future nieces or nephews are fathered by Ronan or the fact that you suddenly have a mate."

Caspian grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. The other stayed firmly in Sofia's grasp.

"I should explain that."

"Yes, you should." Claudio sighed, looking between Cas and the woman in the bed. "I could be wrong, but when you held her the other day, it didn't look much like you'd only just met her."

Caspian had cried for her. He'd screamed at friends he'd had for years. Fuck, he'd been ready to kill for her then and there.

"It's long and complicated."

Claudio almost smiled, answering, "Good thing I've got nothing else to do."

Here we go.

Cas glanced at the sleeping woman fondly. "Her name is Sofia. She's Emilio's little sister. And yes, she's my mate."

"I see. I imagine her being Emilio's little sister came with its fair share of complications."

"It was a big part of why I didn't tell you."

Claudio nodded, taking all of this on board. "When did you meet her?"

"Around ten years ago now." God, had it really been that long? He could still see her face as clear as day the first time he'd ever seen her. "She'd left home for the first time. I found her wandering around Morio's. God, she was evil from the first moment I met her. She used me to get what she wanted."

"And you didn't mind?"

Sometimes he cared, other times he didn't.

"It hurt," Cas admitted. "She left me behind. That was why I didn't tell you at first. You'd make me go after her no matter what she wanted for herself. I didn't want to have her if it meant I had to force her to be with me. I wanted her to choose me because she wanted to."