The Shadow Queen

“ Here , in this house. For two years they beat him and hurt him and did things he only remembers in nightmares. And do you know why they did that? Because they thought he was me! Because that bitch thought she had captured the last of the Grayhaven line, and she savored every wound she inflicted.
    “And he never told them they’d caught the wrong boy. Never told them he wasn’t Grayhaven. Jared Blaed. That was his name then. Cousins through our mothers, who could trace their line back to Thera and Blaed. He protected me in the only way he could for two years .”
    Theran turned, paced, circled. Wanted to beat her with words.
    “Do you think I want him out in that damn shed? No, Lady , I don’t.” He blinked back the tears stinging his eyes—and refused to see the tears in hers. “But he’s terrified to come into this house. He won’t even come to the kitchen door to get food. We bring it out to the stables for him. He had to come with us. We couldn’t leave him in the mountain camp, even though the other rogues up there were willing to look after him. But he’s in that shed because it’s the best he can do. All he can tolerate.”
    Cassidy squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I’m sorry for that. I didn’t know. But that doesn’t change anything,Theran. He is your family, and he will have a room in the family wing.”
    “Haven’t you been listening?”
    “I don’t care if he never sets foot in this house or never sets foot in that room, but he will have a proper room in the family wing, just like you and Talon. He will know it is there if he wants it. And if he’s more comfortable staying in the shed, then it will be fixed up.”
    “We can’t afford to be—” Theran began.
    “This isn’t a suggestion, and it’s not a request,” Cassidy snapped. “This is an order, Prince . Get it done.”
    She started to turn away, then turned back. “And I think we should agree on a division of labor from here on in, Grayhaven. You do what you can—and I’ll do what’s important.”
    She turned to leave the room—and Ranon skipped out of her way, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. The other men who had come in scrambled to give her a clear path to the door.
    “Hell’s fire, Theran,” Ranon said softly. “That woman is pissed .”
    “Yeah,” Theran said. “I guess she is.” He felt shaky, as if he’d clashed with an enemy far more deadly than he’d expected.
    “Theran?”
    Mother Night. Gray.
    Theran turned to find Gray standing in the other doorway—the doorway Cassidy had originally come in by. He watched, not sure if offering assistance would help or harm, as Gray walked into the room, shaking more and more with every step.
    Unable to stand it any longer, Theran covered the distance between them, oddly grateful that Ranon came with him as additional support.
    As he put his hands on Gray’s shoulders, he saw Ranon’s face tighten as the man got a look at Gray’s back.
    “She doesn’t understand,” Gray said. “That’s why she’s so mad at you.”
    “It doesn’t matter,” Theran said.
    “Yes, it does. Family is important to Cassie. Family matters. That’s why she’s mad at you. She doesn’t know that it matters to you too.”
    “Gray . . .”
    “I’ll take the room, Theran. Then she won’t be mad at you anymore.”
    “You don’t have to do this. Not for her.”
    Gray gave him an odd smile. “That’s exactly why I have to do it. For her.”
    Theran stiffened at the sound of someone running. Footsteps too light to be a man’s, so who . . . ?
    Shira barreled into the room, pulled up short, and stared at Gray’s back for a long moment before she whispered, “Mother Night.”
    Theran felt a reluctant admiration for her when she quickly regained her composure and her professional attitude.
    “Would it hurt you if I touch your back?” Shira asked Gray.
    “No.” But his voice was becoming a tight whisper, a prelude to the pain that usually left him helpless.
    Gray shook, shuddered—and Theran saw the shame in his cousin’s eyes when Gray couldn’t stop himself from whimpering. Not because Shira’s light, gentle touch was hurting him, but because he was afraid of being touched by a female. Because that touch brought back too many memories.
    “We’ll start simple,” Shira finally said after her examination. “I’ve got a good, strong liniment that will help relax those tight muscles and ease the pain. And I’m recommending you take a mild sedative that will let you sleep.”
    “I have work,” Gray said, sounding too close to