Decoy Danger

Mylo sat on his bed at the inn, trying to decide where to go now. The rebellion was gaining more steam than it ever had before; it might even be over soon. He supposed he could go back to the capital, help Karl out. It might be worth it at least to see the shocked look on the man’s face when he found out Mylo had successfully infiltrated Hellsgate. He smiled faintly at the thought but it faded quickly. He was glad he’d reunited William and Shila, but he missed her already. He probably should have told her goodbye but he couldn’t imagine she wanted to see him. William either. He even sorely missed the cat.

Mylo sighed and slumped back against the pillows, staring dejectedly outside the window. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a heavy knock sounded on his door.

“Mylo,” said a stern voice he recognized all too well. He had no idea why William would come to find him; maybe he wanted to knock Mylo’s teeth out even if he was leaving of his own accord. The knock came again so Mylo dragged himself up and opened the door, trying not to grimace under William’s glare.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” William demanded.

“I was sitting,” Mylo said. William gave him an unamused look and Mylo moved aside to let him into the room.

“I meant, what the hell do you think you’re doing just up and leaving?” William growled. “No goodbye, no explanation? Not even to Shila?”

Mylo flinched. “I thought-“

“Do you care about her?” William asked.

“I love her,” Mylo said simply, hoping William didn’t break his arms for saying so.

“Then why are you here, planning to leave town?” William continued to glare at him. Mylo sat down on the edge of the bed, his gaze dropping to the ground. He realized he spent a lot of time studying the floor these days, especially when the Hyde’s were around.

“Because if there is a man who deserves to be with her, it’s not me,” Mylo explained, feeling suddenly very tired. “I know that. You certainly must know it, after everything. I…I didn’t want to stay and keep messing things up for you both.”

“Messing things up,” William repeated.

“You lost three years with her.”

“And you consider that your fault?” William still sounded gruff but he also seemed mildly confused, which was uncommon for him.

“Of course,” Mylo said. “I was supposed to be there, the day of the rally. I wasn’t back in time. I wasn’t there to help. The only reason you all let me join up was because I could fight and when you really needed it I wasn’t there.”

“I sent you on that errand because I didn’t want you at the rally.”

“Oh,” Mylo said faintly, somehow feeling even lower than he did before. “Had I already screwed up before that? I thought I’d been doing an okay job. It was because the city guards knew my name, wasn’t it? I was a liability.”

“No,” William said loudly, startling him. “That isn’t what I meant. I mean it’s true that I didn’t want you there because they’d recognize you. They’d be looking for you, and they’d arrest you for sure.”

“I wouldn’t have told them anything,” Mylo insisted. “If they questioned me.”

“I know that, Mylo, you idiot. I just didn’t want you to be arrested and see you sent off to the gallows.”

“I was just as willing to take that risk as any of you-“

“Mylo,” William said in exasperation. “I know that, dammit. You didn’t need to prove yourself for a millionth time.” William grabbed the chair and pulled it over, sitting down heavily and letting out a sigh of frustration. “The rebellion needed someone like you, Mylo. You had as much guts as any of us, and you…have a way about you. You make people feel comfortable. And besides, you were just a kid.”

“I was twenty,” Mylo frowned. William snorted.

“That’s a kid, kid. You were too young to go to the gallows.” He cleared his throat, shifting a bit awkwardly. “And to be honest, I just didn’t want to see you dead.”

“I don’t understand.”

William sighed again. “Dammit, this would have been easier with the fucking letters. Clearly you didn’t get them either.”

“You…sent me letters?”

“Yes,” William said. “I sent you both letters. Or I wrote you letters, anyway. They never were sent, apparently.”

He was quiet for a moment, frowning intently at the wall before he looked back at Mylo. “So you’ve been sitting here for three years thinking I blamed you,” he said. “And now you’re going to leave your home and run away from Shila because you think that’s what we wanted.”

“Isn’t it?” Mylo asked. “Protecting her mattered more to you than anything. And then along I came, letting her join up and do rebel things. I took her into Hellsgate. I know I’m the last person on earth you’d want her to be with.”

William grunted. “Oh, you know that, do you? Because from what I can tell, Shila didn’t get so much as a hangnail while she was with you.”

“I wasn’t going to let her get hurt,” Mylo said. “I’d never let that happen.”

“Right,” William said impatiently. “I know that. That’s why I sent you a letter telling you to find her and take care of her.”

Mylo was quiet for a long time, brow furrowed. “What?”

William sighed again. “I do trust you, Mylo. I knew that if I wasn’t around, you’d be the best person to keep an eye on her. I knew you’d protect her even if you didn’t…have an attachment.” William paused and looked distinctly uncomfortable, which Mylo had never seen before. He tensed when William stood up and clapped his shoulder, almost hard enough to knock him off the bed.

“You were a good kid, Mylo,” he muttered finally. “And you’re a good man, too. And Shila cares about you. So you better come back with me and talk to her.”

“I thought she must hate me now,” Mylo said.

“Yes, you have a remarkably low opinion of yourself that no one else seems to share. Are you coming, or do I need to drag you back? Because I will.”

“No, I’ll come,” Mylo said. He stood slowly and began to gather his things, trying to process the conversation they’d just had. He was still apprehensive as he followed William back to his house. Maybe William was wrong and Shila really didn’t want to see Mylo again. He stopped William on the porch before they went in.

“Sir, I-“

“William,” he said brusquely.

“William,” Mylo repeated hesitantly. “I just wanted to say that I’m glad you’re alive and it’s good to see you again.”

William nodded and looked like he was almost smiling. Mylo stood in the entryway while William went to get Shila. He smiled as Queenie came bounding over to him with a chirp, leaping up and curling around his neck.

“Nice to see you, too, your imperious Majesty,” he said quietly. Shila appeared then, taking off an apron and wiping some flour off her cheek.

“You came back,” she said.

“I…your father…I’m sorry that I left,” Mylo said. “Or almost left. I thought you wouldn’t want to see me again.”

“I thought maybe I put too much pressure on you, asking to be with you,” Shila said quietly. Mylo shook his head, taking a hesitant step toward her.

“No, you didn’t,” he assured her. Mylo gently brushed his thumb across her cheek. “Your father and I had an interesting talk,” he said.

“We did too,” she said. “We all have a lot to talk about, I guess.”

“We do,” Mylo agreed. After a moment he leaned down to kiss her gently. He drew back and rested his forehead against hers. “But the most important thing I need to say,” he said seriously, “is that I do want to stay with you. I want to see you open your own bistro one day like you always wanted. And I want to see your freckles and hear your laugh every day and tell everyone about your talent for blowing things up.” He gave her a small smile. “I love you.”