Tyne wasn’t sure he could ever allow Meyer close.Besides, if Peyton hadn’t loved him enough to stay, why would Meyer?He was here because he had to be, but as soon as Carlyle was gone, he’d be free to leave.They all would be.Knowing Tyne’s luck, everyone would decide to move to their own place, and he’d be left alone in the castle.
He couldn’t think of anything worse.
He swallowed.No matter how he felt, this needed to be done.He didn’t have a choice.He couldn’t keep this information to himself anymore.
“You see that house over there?”he asked.
“That’s not a house.That’s a freaking mansion.”
“Well, not everyone gets a castle, but it’s that big because of the many people who live there.”
Understanding dawned on Meyer’s face.“We’re almost there.”
“We are.This is the place where Peyton and I lived before everything happened.It’s the place where our families still live.”
Meyer blinked.“I have a family?”
“Not really.You were an only child, and both your parents passed away.I still have my parents and a handful of other family members.”Tyne’s mouth tasted like ash.He didn’t want to think about his family.He didn’t want to think about any of this.
“You never talked about your parents before.”
“That’s because I haven’t talked to them since you disappeared.”
“Were they involved in what happened between you and Peyton?”
“In a way.”Tyne sucked in a breath.“Peyton and I were together.Mages and their dragons aren’t always in that kind of relationship, but a lot of the time, they are, and we were.We’ve known each other since we were children.You told me that you were going to be my shield when you were sixteen.”
Tyne watched Meyer swallow.He wanted to pull him into his arms, but he didn’t dare.That wasn’t the kind of relationship they shared.
“And I was,” Meyer murmured.
“You were,” Tyne confirmed.“We actually got together before you officially became my shield.No one was surprised.For a long time, we were happy.”
“But then Peyton did something that hurt you,” Meyer murmured.
“One of my cousins moved in with our clan.”Tyne had known how hard this would be to talk about, but he was having to make a real effort to say the words.“Peyton fell in love with her.I had no idea what was happening.Carlyle was becoming a problem, and I was working with other mages to try and control him before things got out of hand.Maybe I neglected Peyton, and maybe he resented me for that.I don’t know what happened, but one day, he told me about his relationship with Amber.He said that once Carlyle had been defeated, he wanted me to break our bond so he could be with her.He was leaving me.”
He’d already left Tyne.Even though they were still bonded as mage and shield, that was all that had been left of their relationship.They’d barely spent any time together when they weren’t working.No matter how many times Tyne tried to talk about what was happening in the hope that something would change, Peyton had stood firm.He was in love with Amber and wanted to be with her.
After so many years and the bond they shared, it had shattered Tyne’s heart.He’d thought that he and Peyton would be together forever like most of the dragon and mage couples he’d known.
He’d been wrong.
“So there.You know what happened now,” Tyne said.“I didn’t tell anyone that you were back or that you lost your memories.They’re going to be incredibly excited to see you.I haven’t talked to my family since I left the clan, but I already know my mother will find a way to corner us and talk about all of this.I wanted you to know before we flew in.”And Tyne hoped it had been the right thing to do.There was only one way for him to find out, unfortunately.“We can go.”
* * * *
MEYER WAS SHOCKED BYTyne’s words, yet at the same time, he wasn’t.He’d been thinking that Peyton breaking Tyne’s heart was a possibility, and he’d been right.It was the only thing that made sense.
Peyton had left Tyne.Meyer hadn’t been in this world for long, but the couples he’d seen at the castle were solid.He couldn’t imagine Marlow not being with Jarvis or Bennett and Penley breaking up.It made no sense.He didn’t understand how Peyton had been able to leave Tyne, and that wasn’t the only betrayal in this mess.He’d left him for hiscousin.
Meyer was going to need some time to wrap his mind around all of this, but he was glad that Tyne had finally told him.He would’ve been blindsided otherwise, and he didn’t do well with surprises.
“How did our clan react when they found out?”he asked.He wanted to be ready for whatever was about to happen.
Tyne still wasn’t looking at him.Meyer wanted to beg him to, but he knew better.“They were sorry for me, but they were happy for Amber.My mother said that you’d made your decision and that there was nothing she could do about it but accept it.She wasn’t wrong.”
“Maybe not, but she’s your mother.She should have supported you.”
