Something about Rayne’s choice of words created a knot in Eno’s stomach. Maybe this was just a strange coincidence. It was best if he didn’t get his hopes up, but Eno had a feeling it was already too late for that.
“Hey! You guys coming, or what?” their savior shouted down at them from the stairs.
“Yeah, sorry,” Eno called back.
He took the lead, his hand resting on the knife at his hip, ready to draw it as they stepped into the kitchen. He could hear Drayce’s lighter step right behind him and could see from the corner of his eye that he’d already drawn a gun.
But no one was waiting to ambush them.
The kitchen was empty except for appliances, the light-gray counters neat and tidy. There was a colorful padded oven mitt next to the stove and a plaid dish towel beside it. A bright-red teakettle was on one of the burners as if waiting to be used to boil water. He half expected to see a woman standing behind the stove, pulling together dinner, her hair swept up into a messy bun while she shouted for the children to set the table. Her spouse would walk in the door, looking weary but grateful to be home, and press a kiss to her cheek as he asked how her day was.
It was a pretty fantasy—but then, everything about this town house seemed more fantasy than fact.
Including the man waiting to greet them in the mint-green front salon.
The Gray Fox was not what Eno would expect when it came to the title of spymaster, but it should have been. The Gray Fox had a slight build and stood at relatively average height. His age could have been anything from late twenties to late forties depending on the styling of his clothes and his bland brown hair.
“I told you I’d find them,” Davi boasted as he strolled into the room ahead of them. He began to flop down on the heavily stuffed hunter-green sofa, but the Gray Fox’s hand shot out lightning quick and snagged his elbow, holding him on his feet.
“Show respect. You stand before the Dauphin and the king’s trusted bodyguards,” the older stranger hissed as he released Davi to bow.
Rayne groaned softly. His lover pinched his nose with his thumb and forefinger, appearing as if trying to gather himself.
“Dauphin? Who—” Drayce started, but Eno cut it off with a sharp elbow to his gut.
“He’s talking about Rayne,” Eno replied softly.
“Dauphin is an infrequently used title for the heir to the throne,” Rayne finished stiffly. He dropped his hand and directed his glare at the Gray Fox, even though it didn’t have the slightest effect on the man’s demeanor. “That information about my new position within the Erya court is supposed to be known to only a handful of people, though.”
The Gray Fox straightened and lifted one corner of his mouth. “It’s the kind of information the crown pays me very well to gather. It’s why you have me. To gather the information no one else can get to.”
He had a point. This was the one who was supposed to know everything he could about everything. Eno just had a feeling that Rayne didn’t like anyone knowing Caelan had named him his heir. Especially after what had happened on the Isle of Stone. They’d had numerous conversations after they’d gone to bed. Hidden away in the darkness with Eno’s arms wrapped around Rayne, his love had confessed that he was feeling more unsure about his ability to follow in Caelan’s footsteps should something happen to the king. Self-doubt was not something Rayne admitted to easily.
Sadly, there was nothing Eno could do to help Rayne. It was something the man would need to work out on his own. Rayne and Caelan were better now, their relationship growing even stronger and more open than it had been. Time was the only thing that would help to erase Rayne’s doubt. Eno hoped they had plenty of it ahead of them.
“That’s the Gray Fox?” Drayce asked. He stepped past Eno and cocked his head to the side. “You’re not exactly what I was expecting. I thought you’d be…I don’t know…more dangerous looking.” Drayce suddenly lifted his hands and waved them at the spymaster. “No offense meant. I’m sure you’re plenty dangerous and all.”
The Gray Fox chuckled softly and shook his head. “If I was dangerous looking, you’d likely remember me. You’d notice me on the street, in the crowd.” He paused and shrugged his slim shoulders. “But if I appear like everyone and no one…”
“Whoa,” Drayce exhaled. He turned toward Eno and gave his shoulder a shove. “That’s it. I wanna be a spy.”
“You’re too loud to be a spy,” Rayne grumbled.
Rayne and Drayce spent a couple of seconds sniping at each other, but Eno barely noticed. His attention was once again locked on Davi. There was something about his eyes. They weren’t the same shade of brown as Eno’s. Davi’s seemed darker, but the shape was the same. So were the nose and the chin. Could he be…?
Just the whisper of the thought made Eno’s heart skip and stumble. This had to be wishful thinking on his part. He’d learned that he had a brother only a few months ago. What were the odds that they’d be meeting so suddenly? And in Brightspire of all places. Wouldn’t his brother be in Stormbreak, or at least in Erya?
He wanted Davi to be his brother, but almost as desperately, he didn’t want him to be. If they were brothers, what would they say to each other? There hadn’t been enough time to work out all the things he needed to say or even how to say them. Did his brother know he existed? If he did, would he have any interest in knowing Eno?
“Davi is my protégé here in Brightspire. And you can call me Vitor, if it makes things easier for you,” the spymaster continued when Rayne and Drayce stopped bickering.
The young man offered up an awkward half bow as if he wasn’t quite sure of the motion or if he even wanted to bow to them.
“Do you have news?” Rayne asked.
Vitor nodded and waved an arm to the sofa. “Sit and we’ll catch up.” He turned his attention to Davi. “Can you get our guests some refreshments?”
Davi grunted and darted toward the kitchen, his steps surprisingly quiet for a man of his size.