Page 143 of First Light
Carys reached the top of the stairs with Cadell and turned left. “Is he right?”
Likely yes. I also suspect that Robb knows that Duncan is secretly forging iron.
“That’s not good.”
It is immaterial. Robb is power hungry, and he will see iron as an advantage. As long as he can plausibly deny knowing about it should the fae ever find out.
“So he’s antagonistic to Duncan in public.” She kept her voice low. “But secretly he wants him to be here.”
“You’re perceptive, Nêrys.”
“Oh.” She laughed a little. “Trust me, nothing is more political than a university campus. This is practically straightforward compared to budget fights in the humanities department.”
“I do not know what that means.”
“And you should pray that you never do.” She reached her door and opened it, only to find Lachlan waiting inside.
Cadell turned to Carys and gave her a brief nod. “I will go stretch my wings.”
“That’s…” She tried to say it wasn’t necessary, but the stormy look on Lachlan’s face told her that some privacy was probably a good idea. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”
Call for me and I will come immediately.
“Cadell.” Lachlan nodded to the dragon before Cadell stepped out onto the ledge outside Carys’s window and transformed.
The gust of wind shook the windows, and Carys set her bag down on the middle of the bed. “Hello, Lachlan.”
He was pacing and trying not to. He kept walking, then stopping. It made him look like a windup toy running out of energy. “You spent the night at Duncan’s.”
“Yes. I didn’t want to walk through gale-force winds and driving rain. Call me soft.”
That made him stop and stare. “You’re saying it was only because ofthe weather?”
“And you’re assuming it’s not?” She felt exhaustion creeping up on her and her patience was thin. She took a deep breath. “You’re jealous of your brother.”
“Of course I am.” He bit out the words. “I see how he looks at you.”
“Do you?” Carys narrowed her eyes. “You’re perceptive that way? Because I’m beginning to think you’re kind of clueless.”
“What does that mean?” His jaw tensed. “I’m clueless?”
“Aisling.”
He lifted his chin, rearing back slightly at the name. “Sere— Carys.” Lachlan quickly corrected himself, but the slip was impossible to miss.
Carys’s jaw dropped. “Oh.” She stepped back.“Ohhhh.”
His face went carefully blank. “I misspoke. You know I’m talking to you.”
“Doyouknow you’re talking to me?” She let out a sharp breath. “Wow. I was wondering when that was going to happen. I mean, it happened a couple of times back in California, but I didn’t really think anything about it because of course you were going to misspeak sometimes. You were married for years. I excused it because…” She let out a long breath. “I didn’t know.”
“Carys.” Lachlan strode over and took her by the shoulders. “I love you. And I loved Seren. You accepted that once without question.”
“When I didn’t know she was my twin,” Carys said. “Do you seriously think that doesn’t change anything for me? How could it not?”
“How could you look at Duncan the way you do?” His hands tightened, and he dropped them from her shoulders. “I thought you disliked him. Do you… Don’t you see what he’s doing? He’s always been jealous of me. He’s trying to come between us.”
“I’m not going to talk to you about Duncan.” She felt her cheeks grow warm. “I don’t know how I feel about either of you right now. I want to talk about Aisling.”