"So he's made of trauma," I realized.
"Trauma on top of trauma on top of trauma," Wilder agreed. "And even in the midst of all of that, you know what he did? He held on to the fleeting glimpses of Aspen's mind. He lost himself in her, which is why he can't think of anything beyond protecting her. She is his lifeline, Keir, but so is this. So is stopping his mother and repairing the mess she made."
"Saving everyone," I breathed.
But my friend looked at me. "What?"
"All of this," I said, gesturing around us. "Silver Oaks, coming to Earth, and panicking because he was the heir to Aspen'scrown. It's all his way of protecting everyone else. Of fighting for the hints of happiness he can see around him."
"Wanting to know it still exists," Wilder whispered as if he'd just realized the same thing I had.
"We're his hope," I said. "You as the Winter heir - "
"Prince," Wilder corrected. "The proper title for me now is Wilder Reed, Prince of Winter and Duke of Avalon."
"Why Avalon?" I asked spontaneously. "Is that to match Hawke?"
"No," he said around a chuckle. "That was my parent's title. Duke and Duchess of Avalon - and yes, they were married. To my knowledge, they also loved each other, and I intend to keep believing that, so please don't try to prove me wrong."
"Not unless I have to," I assured him. "But on the upside, it seems Jack can say prince now."
"And I asked him to keep calling me a duke," Wilder said. "In truth, I'm not a real prince. I'm a stand-in, and I know it. I'm also perfectly ok with this. I think of it as my duty to the crown - and to the woman wearing it."
"Yeah, but I am not your subject," I pointed out. "How do you think Torian feels about that? Me refusing to follow either of them?"
He made a face and shook his head. "No, that's a good thing to him - or so Hawke says. Keep in mind, some of this I'm relaying from him, because we both think you need to know all of it."
"About Torian?" I asked.
"Mhm," Wilder agreed. "Because you, Keir, date more girls than guys. Trust me, we've noticed."
I just groaned. "Can we please forget Harper ever happened?"
"Gladly," he agreed. "You still date more girls than guys."
"Because while some of those faelings are nice to look at," I said, "they have..."
"Issues?" he offered.
"Masculinity," I decided, picking that word on impulse. "And it's not about being masculine. It's more how they're trying to manifest it like a new magic. They're caught between two worlds, struggling to blend them together, and drowning under the expectations of their fae parents, or friends, or all this Summer crap that's been taking over Silver Oaks for years now."
"Ok, I can see that," he agreed. "Especially with the foundlings. They grew up human, with all those human biases, and then... Surprise! You're part fairy!"
I nearly snorted at his use of the wrong term. "Limp wrists and all, right?"
"Shit," Wilder drawled. "Mine are fine, and I'm definitely a bottom."
Which made me pause. "Fuck."
"I can top if that works better for you," he teased.
I rolled my eyes at him. "No, Wilder. I was thinking about Torian." And I groaned. "No wonder he's weird around me."
"What? Why?"
"Because fucking and getting fucked? Not the same."
Wilder just murmured a little sound that made it clear he understood what I was saying, but didn't quite agree.
