Cassius winced. It never hurt when Darrius healed him, but it didn’t happen often enough for him to remember that.

Darrius looked relieved. “The burns aren’t too bad.”

“Then why am I so cold?” He thought burns were meant to leave a person with fire under their skin.

“It happens from time to time with burn victims. I healed the burns, but your body still thinks they’re there, so it wants to make you feel cold. You’ll need to rest accordingly.” He gestured to the bed and Cassius begrudgingly got into it.

Cassius looked around the room. “Where is Adrian?”

He glowered at the door. “He’s in the hall where he can’t hurt you. You told him you read minds? That’s not exactly first day conversation.”

“I know, but…” he squirmed under the blankets, “I’m a bad liar.”

“You owe him nothing.”

“Yet you demand all of him.” Cassius eyed his brother suspiciously. “Darrius, why is he here?”

“I owe you an explanation, I know.”

“I said nothing when you brought home the Akarian. Do you plan on picking someone up from every country? What should I expect next? A warrior from West Kingdom? You cannot expect me to stay silent.”

“It isn’t like that, brother.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Adrian was it? He’s a different kind of special. For one, Neha asked to come with me. He needed to come here.”

“He seems to feel quite differently.”

Darrius looked like a child who’d been caught half way into their stolen dessert. “So, you saw…”

“Of course I saw. You had no right to treat him that way, nor will you touch him when he comes back.”

“You don’t have to deal with him. I’ll just send him off to the main house.”

Cassius sat up. “No, he will stay here where I can ensure that no one else can take advantage of him.” He thought to himself for a moment. “Darrius, cast it.”

Darrius frowned, “You’re joking.”

“If he is to be with me, then he deserves his privacy.”

He looked flustered. “But it’s still experimental, and--”

“Your spells rarely fail, especially the ones you cast on yourself.” He smirked, “If I had it my way, I would have you cast it on the entire castle. Maybe then I would know peace.”

Darrius looked sheepish. Cass rarely complimented his craft. “So, you haven’t heard… anything?”

“Not a single thought.” He rested his hand on his brother’s. “Why do you think I let you study around me? Your mind is an absolute nightmare otherwise.”

He thought it over. “Alright.”

Cassius watched him stand. “Do not be angry with him. It is my fault it turned out this way.”

Darrius stiffened. “Rest, Cass. I’ll handle his sleeping arrangements,” he added, but his brother was already asleep.

Darrius stepped quietly. He wished the Senosolvian was replaceable. Darrius looked down to see Adrian sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. He seemed alert despite the late hour; his old job probably made it easy.

Adrian looked at him expectantly.

“What?”

“You look like you want to hit me.” The way Adrian said those words made it feel like he wouldn’t care one way or another either.

“I do.”

“Will you?”

“Cass said I couldn’t, so no.” Adrian seemed surprised by that. “I gave you to him to serve. No one but he may strike you, save my father, or if Cass allows it.”

Adrian looked skeptical.

“I honor my brother’s wishes regardless of whether or not I agree with them, but,” he leaned down until they were face to face. “If I had it my way, I would’ve broken your jaw and put it back together ever… so… slowly…”

He watched Adrian try to hide his apprehension, but it was obvious in the way he curled ever so slightly in on himself. Darrius stood back to his full height; satisfaction thick in his next words.

“Instead though, I’m to give a free pass to a whore who gave my brother burns bad enough to blister. Of course, he’s at fault though, he only went out of his way to cook for you, how dare he do such a thing for you.” His smile was thick and fake. He saw the guilt in Adrian’s eyes but didn’t care. “Stand up.”

Adrian did as asked.

Darrius clicked his tongue. “Follow no one’s request but my brother’s. You’d insult him otherwise.”

He nodded curtly.

“Good. Now,” he lifted a hand and was pleased when Adrian didn’t flinch, “very good. As per my brother’s request, I’m going to give you something that I would never give anyone if I could read minds: privacy.”

Adrian quirked an eyebrow. “What do you mean by th--” He jerked back; his head was pounding. He cried out in pain as the pressure intensified. He fell to his knees, clutching his head, and just when he thought he could take it no longer, it was gone.

As he panted for air, he could hear Darrius saying something.

“….so your mind is shielded from him now. He won’t know what you’re thinking. Contrary to his faith in me though, it is still in the experimental stage.”

It took Adrian everything in him just to stand after that. He glowered at Darrius.

“Hate me all you want. You’re a business transaction to me, nothing more. If I had it my way--”

“But you don’t,” Adrian spat before going back into the room without a looking back.

Adrian doubted Darrius followed rules and customs on a daily basis. He chose not to touch him only because his brother had wished it. He wondered who really had whom wrapped around their finger.

Cassius was still sleeping. It made Adrian wonder if the rooms were sound proof.

Adrian went to the bed and gave him a once over. He was shivering viscously. “You two share a bed often?” he asked Darrius, positive he was close enough to hear.

“It’s been a couple years.”

“Get in the bed. He should calm down if he has something warm to hold on to.”

Darrius eyed him before getting into the bed. “You sound so sure.”

“I’m used to dealing with burns.”

Adrian walked to the table. It was still on its side and there was food everywhere.

“Leave it to the servants.”

“Thought I was a servant.” He grabbed a chair and pulled it to the side of the bed.

“Not in the same way as those who clean.” He yawned, and, in that moment, Darrius looked his age. “What would you have done if you didn’t find me?”

Adrian considered it. He had managed to find someone up and about who directed him to Darrius’s room. If he had been alone though… “What? Think I’d leave him to suffer?” He stifled a yawn of his own. “You’re the only one here who thinks up ways to torture people. Sleep, kid.”

“I was supposed to find you a room.”

“I’m fine here.” He crossed one leg over the other. “Besides, I need to make sure nothing changes in the night.”

Darrius nodded drowsily and nuzzled into his brother. It seemed even he could be cute if he tried.

Adrian watched them quietly. He wondered about Cassius who was becoming his brother’s opposite more and more. A part of him foolishly hoped that he would stay that way, but he knew from previous experience that it was never the case.