FOREVER KNIGHTS: #3 Forsaking the Vanquished
Bring Lucien Home

It’d been about a month since Deragan arrived at WaterRose. He’d been lurking around the castle ever since his arrival. His agony at missing his mate apparent. Assuming his chamber, he’d haunted the library searching the texts for any hint of where she could be this time…

Bast sought him out. Finding him sitting in the blue chair before the fire. Thoughtfully bouncing a handful of smoked nuts in his palm.

“Captain.” Bast lowered his head in deference.

“Good afternoon, Sebastian. You’re valkyrie is quiet today.” He remarked.

“She hasn’t been the last few.”

“So, Rhyers has told me.”

Bast sighed and took the seat next to him.

“You need to let her go soon. It’s not right to keep her as you are.” Deragan’s words made Bast stiffen.

It wasn’t a request.

“I know.” Bast grumbled.

“It’s unlike you to hold a woman against her will.”

“She’s unlike anything else.”

“She is special. Powerful.” Deragan acknowledged. “But you’ll not win her by refusing to let her go.”

You have to constantly let yours go. I couldn’t do that.

Deragan’s head turned slowly to him and piercing blue eyes were intent on Bast. Dark and passionless. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m thinking you’re stronger than me.”

Deragan sighed. “Not stronger, Bast.” His gaze returned to the fire, despite that light came in the windows.

“More resilient then.”

“Perhaps more relentless.”

“Unyieldingly, so.”

“You’re everyone’s protector, Bast. But you do not protect this woman by holding her.”

Determined to stay on subject tonight. Bast cringed a little.

“What if I protect the rest of the world from her?”

“If you truly believed that, she’d not still be alive. You’d have killed her without thought.”

Bast blew a long breath. Knowing the Captain wasn’t wrong.

“Have you seen Alazareth?” Deragan, gratefully, changed the subject.

“Not if I can help it. He’s dreadfully tiresome. As you well know.”

“He’s not tiresome.” Deragan said. “Just the opposite of you in all things, save looks.”

“I think he’s tiresome.”

“Sebastian?”

Bast knew that severe note in their alpha’s tone. What’d I do now?

“Yes?”

“Find Lucien and bring him home.”

Why?

What’d he do?