Jaded [The Moonlight Breed 9] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Gabrielle Evans (the read aloud family TXT) 📖

“I can handle it.” This wouldn’t be the first time he’d been in the presence of the deceased.

The minute he stepped into the bathroom and saw Thalian sprawled out in the empty bathtub, however, he immediately began to rethink his nonchalant approach to death. He also had to reconsider his suspicion of the guard’s involvement.

It wasn’t just Thalian’s throat that was swollen, but his entire face. His skin appeared sickly yellow, not the pallor of death, but the hue of disease. The bulging of his eyes was visible, even though someone had been thoughtful enough to lower his eyelids. Blue veins snaked across his face and down the side of his neck, matching the ghostly tint of his dry lips.

“What the hell could cause this?” Spiro murmured, more to himself than to Rissian.

“I don’t know,” Rissian whispered back.

Spiro detected a slight tremor in the softly spoken words. He wasn’t sure if it was fear or grief that put the hollow look in his brother’s eyes, but he imagined it was a mixture of both. While he and Rissian were part shifter, Thalian had been born of pure blood. Like shifters, elves were immune to disease, but they were also impervious to poisons, infections, and most types of magic.

He’d never seen anything like what they were now facing. Just from one observation, he couldn’t tell if it was magic or some mysterious plague. Whatever it was, though, whatever had the ability to ravish two immortals, it was wicked powerful, and Spiro didn’t even pretend to know how to fight it.

People were counting on him to make the important decisions, though. Everyone was depending on him to keep them safe. He knew what he had to do, but it wasn’t going to make him very popular.

Marching back out into the hallways, he faced off with Nithron, eyeing him speculatively before issuing his orders. The guard was alert, but not tense, and Spiro detected no scent of deceit or betrayal from him. “Quarantine the island. No one comes or goes until further notice.”

“What about Aradan?” Rissian demanded.

“When did he leave?”

“Twenty minutes before I knocked on your door.”

It was an hour drive to the boats, and with any luck, their youngest brother hadn’t made it that far yet. “Radio the guards and have them intercept him at the docks.” He turned back to the guards and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Please take Prince Thalian to the holding room in the infirmary.”

They’d have to bury Thalian without his mother present, but it couldn’t be helped. Until he figured out what was happening, he couldn’t risk spreading some unknown and deadly disease. Besides, he’d met the female on a few occasions, and as much as he hated to admit it, he doubted she’d be overly distraught about the loss of her son.

Spiro stepped aside to allow the guards to pass and nodded at Rissian. “Get Aradan back here and assemble the palace guards. We’ll meet at sundown.”

“Sure, but where are you going?”

Sighing heavily, Spiro ran his fingers through his long hair and grimaced. “To break the news to my mate that he won’t be going home anytime soon.”

Chapter Nine

Showered and dressed, Zuriel paced the common room of their suite, mumbling under his breath in agitation. He wasn’t selfish enough to begrudge Spiro the time with his family, but he didn’t appreciate being treated like a prisoner.

He wasn’t too proud to admit that Thalian’s death had him more than a little freaked out. After Spiro’s abrupt departure, Zuriel’s first instinct was to rush to his friends and tell them everything. However, his dear mate had made that impossible by stationing guards outside his door.

The minute he’d stepped out into the hall, he’d been ushered right back inside with no explanation other than Spiro had ordered his confinement. Likely, it was a safety precaution until they had more information, but that didn’t mean he had to enjoy being treated like a child. He wasn’t stupid. He understood the risk and possible danger, but he was just going next door. As far as he could see, there was no reason the sentries couldn’t guard him in Mihail’s room.

“Lirimaer?”

Spinning on the ball of his foot, Zuriel pointed a finger at his mate, intending to give Spiro a piece of his mind. The instant their eyes met, however, all of his irritation drained away, and he rushed forward to throw his arms around his lover. “What happened?”

Spiro petted his hair and kissed the top of his head. “I don’t know, baby. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Do you think someone hurt him?”

“It doesn’t look like it, but as I said, I really don’t know for sure.”

A morbid sense of curiosity infiltrated his thoughts, but Zuriel understood it wasn’t the appropriate time for such inquiries. “I’m sorry, Spiro.” At the rate his family was dying, there wouldn’t be any of them left by summer. Again, he decided to keep that little remark to himself.

“I’m sorry, too.” Spiro contracted his arms, holding Zuriel closer. “I was a little paranoid when I left earlier. I’m sorry I locked you in here alone.” Leaning back, he slipped a finger under Zuriel’s chin and urged his head up. “Did you want to see your friends?”

It took all he had not to melt into a big pile of warm goo right there at his mate’s feet. Never in his entire life had he met someone who cared so much for him. His friends were great. His twin was even better. Yet, it wasn’t quite the same as with Spiro. The man went above and beyond to always give him what he needed—and even most things he just wanted.

“If they haven’t heard the news yet, I’m sure they will soon. What should I tell them?”

“There really isn’t anything to say right now, but…”

Zuriel didn’t like the way Spiro cleared his throat and looked away. In his experience, those types of expressions usually accompanied bad news. “Just tell