The ceiling above me slowly swam into focus. My ceiling. Louise had missed a cobweb last time she'd cleaned.

  I was back home, and in my bed. I felt weak and shaky. My face felt like it was on fire.

  I reached up to check my forehead and found a damp cloth covering it.

  “Ah. You’re finally awake.”

  I slowly turned my head. Tempest was sitting beside my bed, a book in his lap. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like shit.” I replied. My throat felt like sandpaper. It sounded like it too. “What happened?”

  “You fell into the Briandgrave and nearly died. You've been delirious with fever for the past two days.” He looked unimpressed. “When you told me you were an investigator in your past life, I expected you to have some sense of self preservation. Not attempt to get yourself killed a second time.”

  The river. I fought my way through the foggy memories, trying to remember. My plan. My desperate escape.

  ... The other slaves.

  “Did it work?” I demanded desperately as I struggled to sit. “Did they get away?”

  Tempest leapt up in alarm to help me and handed me a glass of water when I began to cough.

  “Calm down,” he ordered gently. “You're not to exert yourself. Your idiotic plan was successful.” He sunk back into the armchair and retrieved his book from the floor. “Everyone escaped thanks to you.”

  Thank the gods. “How are Stephen and Collin? And Wren?”

  “Collin is unharmed. He returned to Wren’s office shortly after you were taken and alerted both myself and the Watch.” He frowned. “I'm less than happy you sent one of your guards away on an errand. Do not do so again.”

  I flushed and nodded.

  “Wren has mostly recovered from his injuries and is annoying the nurses at the free hospital. I suspect they'll toss him out soon. Stephen…” He shook his head sadly.

  “No…” I felt sick to my stomach.

  My stupidity had cost him his life.

  “I have made arrangements to care for his family.” Tempest promised.

  “I… Thank you.” I said quietly. I couldn't meet his eyes.

  My fingers twisted the sheets.

  “You did well,” he told me gently. “Sending young Lilian to lead us to you was a stroke of brilliance. I'm not certain we would have found anything if not for her.”

  I nodded, the guilt still eating away at me.

  Tempest sighed but dropped the subject. “The Watch investigators have started tearing their den apart, looking for evidence. One lord is already in chains and another three are under suspicion. His Majesty is furious, of course. He's stripped Earl Trefore of his titles.” He picked up a pitcher from my bedside table and refilled my empty glass, chilling it with a touch. “You've stirred up quite the hornet’s nest; the court will be a far quieter place before all is said and done. Drink,” he ordered, holding out the glass to me.

  I stared at it.

  He rolled his eyes. “You need fluids. If you refuse to sleep, at least you can try not to actively make yourself worse.”

  I obediently took the glass from him and began to drink. Tempest watched in silence until I was half done before he continued.

  “Trefore’s servants have been most cooperative, at least from what I understand. The Watch have started digging up his garden.” He shuddered. “The fool was always disgustingly proud of his damned peonies, and I suspect we'll soon find out why. He’s to be executed along with the slavers once he’s been interrogated. Not that there are may of those left,” he added. “Autumn was… upset when he thought you were dead. It seems our brother is rather fond of you.”

  Oh. That was… surprisingly comforting.

  “He’s putting young Lilian to bed right now, but he should be back shortly.” He nodded towards a settee sitting against the near wall. Autumn’s coat was draped over the arm, and there were extra pillows and a blanket piled neatly on top. “He’s refused to leave until you awoke, despite the duchess’s incessant whining. I fear he would have handled it poorly if you had died after all.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “I’m lucky you found me at all.” I said with a shaky laugh. Finding me at night in a partially frozen river must have been a nightmare.

  “We did not,” he informed me matter-of-factly. “Your Seer friend led us to you.”

  The blood drained from my face. If Cael’s secret got out because of me, I’d never forgive myself.

  “Tempest, please,” I begged. “I swore his secret was safe with me. If he’s discovered because he saved me–“

  “The young man's secret is safe. I’m already protecting a Hexbreaker; what’s one more at this point.” He sighed sadly. “Although it will not matter soon enough.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked apprehensively.

  He looked at me with pity in his eyes. “Cael Mattis is under arrest along with the other slavers. He's confessed his guilt and is facing execution for his crimes alongside his compatriots.”

  My heart lurched, and a sickening feeling curled through my gut.

  I blinked at him, struggling to process his words. “He…”

  “Violet?” Tempest asked anxiously, reaching out like he wanted to take my hand and reassure me everything was okay.

  It wasn't.

  I threw my blankets aside and stumbled out of bed, pausing briefly to let my head stop spinning. The second it did, I lurched towards the door as fast as my unsteady feet could carry me.

  “Where do you think you're going?” Tempest asked in alarm from behind me.

  “To see the king. Help me find a pair of pants, and get Giselle saddled,” I ordered, frantically pulling on a dressing gown. I nearly pulled down the screen it had been hanging on in my haste.

  On second thought, screw the pants.

  “No.”

  Tempest's calm voice was like a splash of cold water. I stilled, my dressing gown half tied. I'd been frantic, my mind racing from one thought to the next, but that one word stopped me dead.

  I snarled. “Like hell 'No.' I owe Cael my life. So does everyone else who was captured. He’s a good person. Do you want me to sit back and let him be executed?” I'd failed Stephen. I was not going to fail Cael as well.

  Tempest rose and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I am truly sorry, Violet. Your friend has confessed and has been sentenced to death. Charging into the palace in the middle of the night will not help him, whether you're wearing pants or not.”

  “I have to try!” I insisted, swallowing tears of frustration and begging him to understand. If I couldn’t even help someone who was right in front of me, then what the fuck was the point of me being here in the first place?

  His eyes were heavy with sorrow. “I’m sorry.”

  ... Fuck him. If he wasn’t going to help me, I would do it alone.

  I slapped his hand aside and charged for the door, ignoring his startled yell. As I tore it open, I slammed straight into Autumn’s chest.

  There was a breathless pause. Then one move, he grabbed me around the waist, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me back to my bed while I kicked and flailed, struggling to get away.

  He dropped me in the middle of my mattress.

  I lay there, exhausted from my struggles, and fought not to cry.

  “What in the hells is going on now?” Autumn grumbled at Tempest.

  “He’s upset about his friend. Could you please fetch one of the draughts the healer left? A sleeping potion as well.”

  There was a rustle of fabric, and the door closed softly.

  Tempest’s armchair creaked.

  I refused to look at him. I was forty-fucking-two and a godsdamned trained officer. I should have fought harder, been smarter. Cael shouldn’t have had to sacrifice himself to save my worthless hide.

  “You are not Logan Daniels,” Tempest said softly.

  “What are you talking about? Of course I am.”

  “No. You are not,” he repeated. “You may have his memories, but you are no longer him. You were not responsible for Stephen’s death, and you're not at fault for your friend’s situation. You are allowed to be a terrified, emotional seventeen-year-old. Stop holding yourself to an impossible standard.”

  I blinked, finally looking over at him. Was Tempest right? Had I truly been so caught up in who I’d been that I couldn’t see who I’d become?

  He smiled kindly. “Let yourself be an emotional young man. Or possibly a young lady, I suppose. I’m still not entirely certain how your story and this world tie together. And you can rely on us; on myself, and even on Autumn. No one expects you to manage on your own. You are not alone.”

  A fat tear rolled down my cheek, followed by another.

  I was not alone.

  The storm broke, and there was no stopping it.

  Tempest sat beside me, murmuring reassurances, and held me as I wept. It felt like an eternity before the tears slowed, then dried up. He didn't protest as I used his soggy shirt to wipe my puffy eyes.

  “Thanks.” I sniffed and gave him a watery smile. “I think I needed hear that.”

  He smiled at me, just a little smug. “I'm glad to be of help.”

  My door creaked open, and Autumn poked his head carefully around it. “Is he calmer yet?”

  “I believe so.” Tempest called back.

  Autumn huffed, closing the door behind him. “Good.” He dragged the settee closer and threw himself into it, causing the delicate piece to creak alarmingly.

  “What happens now?” I asked my brothers. “Is there anything that can be done to help Cael?”

  Tempest rose with a tired sigh. “I'll see if I can arrange an audience with his Majesty. He’s not a cruel man; we may be able to plead for leniency.”

  “What can I do?”

  Autumn tossed a pair of small bottles into my lap. “You can drink these, go back to sleep, and let the guy who’s actually good at politics deal with it,” he grumbled, stretching out and stuffing the pillow under his head. He glared pointedly at the bottles until I picked them up and opened them.

  I obediently drank the potions, along with another glass of water at Tempest’s insistence.

  My eyelids soon began to droop. That damned sleep potion hit hard.

  Autumn stretched and nodded at Tempest. “Go. I’ll make sure the stubborn little idiot doesn’t jump out a window and get himself killed.”

  “Thank you.” I managed, my jaw cracking as I yawned. Tempest pulled my covers back over me. “I’m glad you two are my brothers.”

  As I closed my eyes and let sleep take me, I heard Autumn murmur.

  “Damn. If I’d known he could be this sweet, I’d have smacked him in the head ages ago.”

  Tempest chuckled in reply.