CHAPTER SIXTY ONE

"Try again."

Huffing in frustration, I reached for the small bottle of scented oil beside the bath that was just out of reach, and just like before, nothing happened.

"Ugh, this is stupid! How am I supposed to defeat anybody when he doesn't teach me how to use the power!" Rory's arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me back against his chest to sit between his legs.

"It's okay, Aria. We'll figure it out. I promise." He assured me, scooping a handful of sudsy water and trickling it down my back.

Bastion dunked himself beneath the flowing waves, resurfacing with dripping locks that covered his brows and tickled his lashes.

"Your hair is so long," I pointed out, tugging on a stray strand. He furrowed his brow, pouting in the most adorable way.

"I know. I need it cut. If I don't do it today, I'm worried something else will come up, and I'll end up with hair down to my ass by summer." I giggled, sinking back into Rory's firm chest.

"I can cut it for you. I used to cut your dad's hair." He cocked his head, gently easing his way back against the built-in seating across from us.

"Really? Mom used to offer all the time, but he would say that his barber would get jealous. I guess he just didn't want her to feel bad for being a shitty hairdresser." He chuckled, rolling his eyes. Warmth filled me at the way Bastion spoke about his late father. He didn't seem remorseful anymore, but rather, proud and admiring of the life he had.

I caught Rory's fingers, entwining them with mine and holding them in front of me for observation.

"I was his barber. The offer stands." I smirked, bringing my gaze up to see him watching me closely.

"Well, I accept." He responded with a wink.

We floated there for a while in silence, enjoying the way the scalding liquid soothed and relaxed our worked muscles. The silence was eventually broken, however, by Rory's soft voice.

"Hey, love?" I brought his slender fingers to my lips to kiss.

"Hm?"

"Does Lord Lysander spend a lot of time with you?"

I cleared my throat, trying to rid it of the lump that had suddenly formed and taken residence in it.

"Uh, I wouldn't say a lot of time. Why?"

This time, Bastion spoke, completely ignoring my question by asking another question. "Does he always touch you like that?"

My eyes made an exaggerated trip around my lids before landing back on Bastion.

"If you're jealous, don't be. He just does it to get a rise, trust me. He doesn't do it as often now that I don't comment on it. Besides, he's a god. What would he want with me?"

Rory lifted me by my hips to sit on his left knee, turning my face to look at him.

"God or not, we don't like him feeling you up. You're ours, and we don't trust him." Great job, Lysander. You've pissed off your Kings. I offered Rory a warm smile, my fingers coming up to trail his jaw with heated moisture.

"You don't have to like him, but you should trust him. He's gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations, you know. He's never given me a bad suggestion." Rory's eyes twitched so slightly that if I hadn't been watching them intently, I might've missed it. His glance flickered to Bastion, then back to me.

"I'll take that into consideration." He responded formally. I gave him an approving grin, settling back into my own seat.

"Do you have any interesting stories about your dad, Rory?" I had always wondered what kind of man Anthony was. At first glance, he seemed like a total playboy with a cocky attitude, but it takes more than that to build an empire and attract my mom. I was dying to hear more about who he really was.

Rory shrugged, his stunning blue eyes wandering the ceiling as he thought.

"My dad's done a lot with his life. He first went into partnership with your dad right after meeting my mom and was pretty close to your parents. Unfortunately, I never got to meet your dad. He passed before I was born, but my dad used to talk about him all the time. He lost both Jasper and my mom in the same year, so he had a bit of a rough patch, but he always did his best for me. I don't think I could've gotten through middle school without him and Dylan." Right, Dylan mentioned that Rory was bullied a lot.

My face fell and I drew circles onto his knee below the water, enjoying the heat it sent through my fingertips.

"Dylan told me a little about that," I confessed, feeling him tense.

"He did?"

I nodded slowly, meeting his anxious gaze. "Why were you picked on, anyway? I don't get it. You're smart and funny and dangerously attractive. You should've had tons of friends."

He snorted, flashing me his pearly teeth.

"I think you're biased, love. And anyway, they didn't really care about all that. All that mattered to them was who your parents were. And to them, my dad was a wolf lover. They fussed about it constantly."

"But didn't you ever correct them? Maybe if they knew about what really happened..."

"Nah, I didn't really care. They were all conceited assholes. I had a friend and my dad; that's all I needed. Plus, I didn't talk much growing up. I was a bit shy."

"Man, those punks really do sound like assholes," Bastion chimed in, making Rory laugh.

"I mean, so is Dylan, but at least he's loyal."

We laughed louder in response.

"He told me about you bailing him out of jail," I added with an eye roll.

"Shit, that's nothing. One time I had to sneak him out of some woman's home because her husband came home and caught them fucking. He hid in their pantry until I got there, then made his break down the fire escape in nothing but a pair of boxers. He was only sixteen, too." My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"Huh, he conveniently omitted that one," I breathed out in disbelief.

"Fuck. I would, too. That guy was wilder than I ever was," Bastion remarked, moving one arm to rest around my shoulders.

Rory nodded, but his faint smile told us how much he admired his best friend regardless of his reckless antics. That's what made Rory so special. He could see so much good in people who were supposed to be the bottom of the barrel.

Hell, his dad could do the same. He never once judged my dad for his cross-species relationship but instead supported them without reserve or care for what others thought.

"I'm glad you have Dylan," I mumbled, earning a genuinely loving smile from my royal.

"Me too. I don't know how we got from my dad to Dylan, but yeah, my dad is pretty great."

I thought back to the time I was in heat and Anthony was talking to me about my mom. If Rory knew his dad's and my mom's feelings, would he still admire him in the same way? I wasn't about to risk it by bringing it up, so I moved on.

"Bastion, how was growing up with Brett?" He chuckled.

"A lot less adventurous, I can tell you that. The guy has always been a constant for me. He's smarter than anyone I've ever met, and he isn't afraid to tell me if he thinks I'm being an asshole. I guess his honesty is why I've stuck around him all this time."

I flinched at his sentiment.

The lie that I planted had returned, sprouting its ugly head and making me question my decision to bury his mistake in the first place. I couldn't honestly risk telling Bastion that when he was just bragging about how honest his childhood friend was. His trust would be crushed, both for him and me.

Bastion's brows furrowed.

"Aria? What's up? You look upset."

This was it. It was time to make my choice. Would I tell another lie to cover our story or come clean and hope for Bastion to show mercy? My mom used to say that the truth always came out in the end. If it did, would Bastion forgive me for deceiving him? My paranoia took hold, making my decision for me.

I sighed, crossing to sit on Bastion's lap in hopes that he wouldn't throw me off to hunt Brett down.

"I need to tell you something that you won't like very much," I confessed, feeling his arms tighten around me.

"I think I'll wait for you two in the bedroom," Rory declared, exiting the tub to give us privacy.

I stopped him by raising my hand in the air.

"I think you'd better hear this, too."

He cocked his head, stepping back into the water with a worried expression. "What is it, love?"

Another deep breath, and I began.

"I want to start by saying that Brett is one of the most intelligent and genuine people I know. He has been an amazing asset to our kingdom, and I don't want to lose sight of that." Bastion adjusted himself, burying his nose into my neck.

"You're freaking me the hell out, Aria. Please, spit it out." He groaned.

"Well, we haven't been completely honest about what happened the night of the oasis fight with the Alpha..." The way Rory's jaw tensed told me that he was catching on, but Bastion was still coming up short.

"What do you mean? The Alpha used his men to trick you, and the bastard killed you. What does that have to do with Brett?" Was it too late to run from this conversation? Absolutely.

The grimace on my face was thankfully only visible to my more forgiving love.

"Right. Well, that's not exactly how it happened. I had the Alpha pinned, you see, and was about to deliver the finishing blow when... Brett..."

"Brett wasn't there, Aria. He was inside the mansion." Bastion growled, making me flinch.

"He was supposed to be. But he was worried about his dad..."

Before I could continue, Bastion lifted me from his lap, turning me to face him with blackened eyes and a chest rising and falling with rage.

"Aria, I swear—are you telling me that Brett interfered with the battle? That he's the reason you fucking died?!"

I felt like a fish out of water, my mouth desperately trying to find words to talk him down.

"Answer the question, Aria." Rory snarled from behind me.

Shit, this wasn't supposed to go this way.

"Yes, okay, yes! But listen, he—"

And just like that, the hunt was on.