Page 110 of Scourged

And behind him followed an equally disheveled Feran, shit-eating grin on his face.

Sebastian’s shock struck him across the face just as Matheo burst out laughing.

“I fuckingknew it!”

Drystan glared at Matheo. “Knew what?”

Matheo wiped a finger under his eye, still bent over in hysterics. “This! I knew there was something happening here!”

Drystan shifted his stance. “And this is funny to you why?”

“Alright, easy, Drys,” Feran said, coming up to stand beside Drystan. His hand brushed Drystan’s, and the golden-haired warrior relaxed. Just a touch.

And Sebastian still gaped like a fish.

“I think you broke my brother,” Matheo said, still chuckling.

That finally shook something loose in Sebastian, like netting being cast aside. He cleared his throat, more heat clawing up his neck.

“What is—” He tried. He cleared his throat again. “How did—” Again, the words wouldn’t come.

Drystan and Feran shared a look. Feran nudged him with a bare shoulder before turning to Matheo.

“Come on, little Riqui. I’m hungry. Let the adults speak.”

Matheo rolled his eyes. “You know, Ihatethat nickname.”

“Nickname?” Feran furrowed his brows. “Is it not just … your name?”

“Riqueti. Our family name is Riqueti.”

“That’s what I said. Riqui.”

“Doesn’t that mean ‘rabbit’ in Kreah?”

“And that’s what you are. Little rabbit.”

Matheo’s response was lost to Sebastian’s ears as he and Feran disappeared down the hall, leaving Drystan and Sebastian there, staring at each other.

Drystan smiled, somewhat sheepishly. “I am … sorry you had to find out like this.”

Sebastian took a deep inhale, slowly breathing out through his mouth. He ran a hand through his hair, brushing out the tidy brown strands.

“I didn’t …” He swallowed. “I didn’t know you …”

“Preferred men?” Drystan shrugged. “I didn’t either, for a long time. I thought I was just different from the rest of you. Women are beautiful, of course, but they just … were never for me, I suppose.”

Sebastian nodded. “Why didn’t you … I don’t know, tell me?”

“You know how it is in Onita,” Drystan murmured. “This is just one of those things no one talks about. For all our technology and advancement, we still can’t accept people loving who they love.”

Sebastian knew. It was why he so adamantly believed in Mariah. It wasn’t just women she could help; the change she wanted to bring could impact people of all kinds across the entire kingdom.

But that wasn’t what bothered him.

“I understand, Drystan. But … why not tellme?”

It was Drystan’s turn to flush. “I don’t know. I probably should have, shouldn’t I?”