Checkmate

Kick

For a moment, it didn't register.

Then I realised what he had said.

And choked on my wine.

When I'd stopped coughing and could breathe properly again, I slowly brought my eyes up.

He was looking at me steadily, undisguised amusement on his face. He leaned forward to refill my half empty wine glass and gently pushed it towards me with a nod. I ignored it, staring at him instead. 

"How..." I whispered, too stunned to even bother with denial. 

"I think it's time for a proper introduction." He said, refilling his own wine glass and putting the jug down before leaning back and regarding me evenly. 

"You are Lio, of Clan Enarda, soon to be Lio, of Clan Vargas." He raised his glass to me, even as my stomach twisted at his words. "Lio, of Enardan Intelligence, soon to be Lio, Cai of Vargas." He spoke clearly and deliberately. "I am Alen of Clan Vargas. Senior Councillor and advisor to Clan Leader Xent." He lifted his glass to his lips, looking at me over the rim. "And his brother."

Brother.

Brother.

Of-course.

Of-course Alen was his brother. 

Because the gods wanted to give me one last shock, one final jolt to finish off my stomach and properly give me an ulcer. 

I stared at him mutely.

When I'd first met him, I'd noticed a passing resemblance to my then mystery lover, and looking closely at him now, it was still a vague resemblance and nothing more. His hair was curlier and more golden, his eyes were hazel and not ocean, his build, while muscled, was stockier, and his face was softer, with gentler lines and fewer angles. I couldn't be blamed for not spotting it earlier. And our conversations hadn't held any obvious clues either - there was no way I could have known they were even connected, much less related. And vice versa - our interactions had been so brief.

Which begged the question - how did he know about me?

How the hell could he know? Only two people knew, and I sure as hell hadn't told him. 

"He didn't tell me." Alen had obviously been observing me and had guessed where my head was. "He doesn't even know I know who you are. He wouldn't have let me come if he did."

"Then--"

"I smelled his scent in yours. And yours in his. That's how I knew."

It clicked then.

As his blood brother, he'd have been able to discern the changes in his brother's scent more easily than anyone. And by the same token, he would have picked up on that familial scent in someone else. 

"That day outside the practice room." I said slowly. He had said something about my scent being different. 

He inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement.

Neither of us spoke for a long while. 

On my part, I was still trying to take it in. This was my mate's brother. And he knew about us. 

I winced.

I'm going to have to see a Healer about my stomach. 

Aware that he had been waiting, watching me, I met his gaze.

"It must have been quite the shock." I said, a little awkwardly.

"A surprise." He - my mate's brother - amended. "Not a shock."