“You’re right that he didn’t know. You weren’t ready to tell him. But he should have known better. He has spent days with you. He should know you well enough by now to understand you are not interested in pranks. It was cruel to include you without your consent.”
He nodded, his fingers toying with my necklace. I hadn’t yet put on a tunic, as my hair hadn’t fully dried. He traced his fingers over it, his soft breath warm against my chest.
“That’s true. I never liked pranks. My brothers played them on me often. I hated it. I’d never want to do that to someone else. Especially not you.”
Finn didn't talk about his family much, but what little he expressed to me gave me a clear impression of them. If I ever met them myself, I’d gut them for the pain they caused him. He should have been treated more gently. He should be treated that way now.
“Do you think I should forgive him?” he asked, a tremor in his voice.
“Not before you’re ready. But eventually, yes. Godr is not a cruel man. Stupid, at times, but not cruel. He didn’t intend to hurt you. And tearing him apart in front of the clan was an effective punishment.”
He hummed, capturing my hand that had been combing his curls and pressing a kiss to my palm. “I forgot to thank you for that. It felt nice to have someone stick up for me.”
I kissed the top of his head in response to his affection, but that wasn’t what I was referring to. “It wasn’t me I was speaking of. You confronted him for his wrong and put him in his place infront of the clan. You should be proud of yourself for standing up for yourself like that.”
“Even though I cried and acted quite dramatically?” he asked in a small voice.
“Mm. Even then. You were emotional because he was cruel. It is he who will face the clan’s wrath for making you cry. Tributes are held in great respect. Hurting you as he did won’t end well for him.”
Finn sat up suddenly, eyes wide with worry. “They won’t hurt him, will they?”
A smile tugged at my lips. He was angry, yes, and hurt, but he still cared for Godr. He saw him as a friend. They would get past this eventually. Hopefully soon, because I wanted my brother at my bonding ceremony.
“No. They won’t hurt him. But he will spend the next few days getting scolded by every single person in the clan. And when my parents hear of what he did, he’ll be lucky to escape unscathed.”
“Oh. Okay– Wait. Your parents?”
Eighteen
Icould tell Rath wanted me to forgive Godr. They were brothers. He tried not to sway my judgment, but his face got tight whenever we walked past him. So, despite the hurt that still tugged in my chest, I made eye contact with Godr while we were eating by the fighter’s fire, allowing him to come close to speak with me.
Rath stiffened beside me at Godr’s approach, but I put my hand on his to stall him, nodding once to show him it was okay. He flipped his hand, holding mine gently, and stayed silent, though his body language said a lot. He was ready to defend me and hurt Godr if he made me cry again. I vowed to do my best to avoid that, if only to keep Rath’s hands clean.
“I, uh… Can I sit?” Godr asked, pointing to a spot on the ground in front of me. There were logs used for seating around the fire, but I sat on the end. He’d have to lean around Rath to speak with me, or sit on the ground. He chose the latter when I nodded. Crossing his legs, he settled in front of me, then seemed like he was at a loss for words. He scrubbed at the back of his neck, opening and closing his mouth like he wanted to speak, but kept changing his mind.
“Get on with it already!” someone snapped from the other side of the fire.
Godr scowled over his shoulder at them before turning back to me. “Right. I, uh… I wanted to apologize to you, Finn. I had no idea playing a prank would upset you. It wasn’t even a prank on you directly, so I didn't even think about it.”
“That’s a horrible apology,” Zoya said loud enough for Godr to hear. I hadn’t realized she was here, but when I looked over my shoulder, she stood at my back, glaring down at Godr. It warmed my middle, having someone so clearly on my side. Not to the same effect Rath’s defense had, but something different. It felt as though I had a real friend.
Godr grimaced, his shoulders by his ears. “I’m trying,” he grumbled.
He was trying. He was terrible at apologies, but I could see the sincerity on his face. It was a look my brothers had never had. They never even bothered to try to apologize when they upset me. Not even the time they shoved me into a tree and I fell and broke my arm, trying to get down. At least Godr looked remorseful.
“Try harder!” someone else demanded. That got a few murmurs of agreement. I looked around, surprised. I thought Rath was exaggerating when he said the entire clan would scold Godr for upsetting me. But everyone there was glaring at Godr, expecting him to make things right. When I looked at Rath, he smiled softly at me, kissing the back of my hand, silently saying he was there for me, even against his own brother.
I was overwhelmed by the support, and it took me a second to get myself under control. Sucking in a shaky breath, I stalled Godr’s rambling apology, which didn’t make much sense anyway.
“I… I think, if it had been someone else, the prank wouldn’t have hurt so much. But I trusted you, and you lied to me. I don’tthink… It won’t be easy for me to give that trust back.” Pain and remorse overtook Godr’s face and guilt ate at me. I didn't like seeing him so upset. “But… I’m willing to try. As long as you promise not to do it again. Rath has been showing me how I deserve to be treated. I won’t be so forgiving next time.”
The relief on Godr’s face was all-encompassing. His shoulders slumped, and he nodded, accepting my conditions. “I’ll earn back your trust, Finn. I promise. You’re my brother’s bondmate. That makes you my brother, too. I will be a good brother to you.”
I wasn’t ready to think along those lines yet, but maybe, in the future, I would be okay with it. For now, we’d take it one step at a time.
Verus strode up, a few other men I recognized but didn’t know their names coming up beside him. They all crossed their arms, looking down menacingly at Godr. “Well, you’ve earned Finn’s forgiveness. He’s nicer than I am. I would’ve let you squirm a little while longer. But you haven’t yet earned the forgiveness of the clan. That will be a lot messier.”
Godr blanched, looking up at them uneasily. “What would you have me do?”
