Soul Bound

Chapter 18

The servant led them to a room looking over the small barracks of soldiers tucked off to the side of the castle. This was where Jacob and Grayson stayed every time they were called for business here, but he had a feeling they would be sharing this room with Eva and Anna a lot more often. Depending how tonight went.

Jacob tugged on his collar for the fifth time since Grayson secured the tie around his neck, and looked out the window viewing the city.

They weren't high enough to see the entirety of Lexxis and its modern beauty, but there were so many lights within the city that a halo glowed above in the dark clouds. A sight that had once filled Jacob's chest with warmth and nostalgia.

He had wanted nothing more than to show his sisters this view when he first came here. Eva had gone straight to the window with a childlike wonder in her eyes when they arrived--before Anna dragged her to the bathing chamber. He wouldn't see Erika's reaction, but he could imagine it. She would have expressed her wonder loudly, jumping and clapping. Then she would have pulled the entire squad to the window, forcing even Grayson to look outside.

Fuck, he missed his baby sister. His mother. His father. . . .

Grayson slapped his hand away from the tie. “I told you not to touch it. You'll mess it up.”

Jacob sighed, dropping his hands to his sides. His mind was too far away to complain.

His dutiful partner dusted off his shoulders. “She'll be okay, Jake. She's more capable than people give her credit for.”

Grayson might pretend not to care, but he was observant and astute.

“She's stubborn,” Jacob muttered, both loving and hating his sister for her relentless stubbornness. “King Renkon won't like that.”

“It'll be good for him.” Grayson quirked a rare smile, an attempt to lighten his partner's mood. “Even kings need to be put in their place every now and again.”

Feeling the blood drain from his face, Jacob stepped away from him, lifting his hands and lacing them behind his head. His mother taught him this trick whenever he was nervous. Typically it worked. But, typically, Eva's future wasn't on the line. Which it very much was tonight. Not only that, but it entirely depended on what she said tonight. It didn't matter who he was friends with, there were still some holes he couldn't dig her out of if King Renkon willed it.

It terrified him.

Grayson, calm as ever, crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the armchair. “I won't let anything happen to her, Jake.”

He had that dispassionate, calculative expression that used to make Jacob's hairs stand on end, but he took comfort in it tonight. It meant Grayson had a plan. Jacob was eternally grateful his partner had taken his vow to keep Eva safe seriously. If anyone in the world was capable of keeping his sister safe, it was Grayson Smith.

Jacob blew out a long breath, feeling a little lighter since Anna had whisked Eva to the bathing chamber.

His gaze narrowed on the door he had watched the other half of his squad go through. “How long does it take to get ready?”

It took him only a few minutes to put his suit on then a few more after that of Grayson fussing over his cufflinks and tie. He fussed over very few things, most of them weapon related, but the man didn't mess around when it came to accessories.

“It's all about the details,” Grayson had told him once.

“Nobody notices the little things.”

“You'd be surprised what people notice,” his friend had advised him. It was hard to argue with him when the “details” Grayson was so anal about had saved his life many times on their missions.