He paused to look down at his palm where the intricate scroll-work lay that declared him mated. It was a mark that was identical to the one on Tanya's palm. "You know my secret."
Her heart clenched at the reminder. Though he was mated to a good bear, his heart belonged to another. It always had.
"I'm sorry, Alain."
He shrugged. "I have nothing to complain about. Tanya's loyal to me. She's kind and we have two beautiful sons. How could I be upset by that?"
"Do you still think about Rachel?"
Ignoring her question, he looked down at his cup as he continued to stir the honey through the dark liquid. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Sure."
He tapped the spoon twice before placing it on his plate. "Have you noticed anything with Kyle?" Kyle was their youngest brother. A little odd at times, he was basically good-natured and sweet even if he did keep to himself more than the others did.
"Such as?"
He hesitated before he spoke. "That he's an Aristos."
Aimee froze in disbelief at those words. "What?"
"He's an Aristos," Alain repeated, his gaze burning into hers. "I'm sure of it."
Aristi were the most powerful sorcerers in their world. Stronger than Sentinels, they were the one thing every Arcadian prayed to be and the one being that made the blood of all Katagaria run cold. "How do you know?"
"We were playing around yesterday, practicing holds, and he took me down with an ease of strength no one at his age should possess. And when he pinned me, I saw it in his eyes."
Aimee felt sick at the news. Aristi were the ones who'd murdered her brothers and they were the one thing their mother couldn't stand. It was also another secret Aimee kept from everyone. She was one too. "Maman will kill him if it is so."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"Have you discussed this with Kyle?"
Alain shook his head, his eyes horrified by the mere suggestion. "Absolutely not. You're the only one I trust to keep this between us. I would never do anything to cause him harm and I know you feel the same."
Aimee heard the underlying current. There was more to this than what he was telling her. "But?"
"He needs to be trained. Those kind of powers, if left un-checked . . ."
Could kill him. He didn't finish the sentence because Aimee knew that as well as he did. An Aristos required a tutor, especially the males. While a female could adapt better and learn to control those powers on her own, a male couldn't. It was what had saved her, but she couldn't train Kyle without exposing them both. "What should we do?"
"I was hoping you'd have some ideas."
"Not really. I don't even know of an Aristos." That wasn't entirely true, but she wasn't about to share that with Alain. "They're too rare."
He nodded. "I know . . . think about it. Let me know if you come up with something. I don't want to leave him alone in this."
Neither did she. Kyle would be as scared by his powers as she was by hers. "You want me to talk to him?"
"I hate to dump it on you, but you're the one he's closest to. He might open up to you. At least more than he ever would me."
Aimee smiled at him. He was right. Kyle kept his brothers in the dark, but for some reason he saw her as another mother. "I'll talk to him tomorrow. See if he knows what's happening to him."
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You're the best."
She snorted. "Go ahead, Etienne, and tell me I'm the best sister you have." Etienne was another of her brothers who was a scoundrel and a charmer. He was forever telling whatever lie he needed to get his way.
Alain laughed again at her insult. "He's such a shit, isn't he?"