A tap on the door drew their attention to it.
“Must be Rocurt. No one else would dare.”
She lifted the linens to shield herself.
“Yes?” he asked.
The door opened and the girl—the commander’s pet—stood with a tray.
“Oh, of course,” Evston said. “One other person would.”
The girl gasped. “I’m so sorry, Sir. He’d said you weren’t sleeping or eating well. He didn’t tell me you got a new pet. I didn’t expect anyone to be in here with you.” Then she looked more closely and froze. “Your majesty. I amsosorry,” she said, dropping her gaze and taking two steps backward.
“No, Melsint, come in.”
The girl froze again. “Sir?”
“Come back inside. Set the tray on the chest. Bringing breakfast was a sweet gesture, by the way. Thank you.”
Melsint set the tray carefully on the chest and stared down at her feet. She was dressed in a simple sheer shift, her nipples and their jewelry were clearly visible. Brande didn’t care for the idea of her bringing trays into Evston’s bedchamber while dressed like that, or at all for that matter.
“This is a conversation that we must have. Rocurt told me that Brande saw you with him in Alorn.”
The girl’s blush threatened to overcome every inch of her skin.
“All our circumstances have changed. Brandese, Rocurt married Melsint.”
“He married a girl he once owned as a pet?”
“Yes.”
“That was foolish. He won’t be able to take her anywhere once it’s known.”
“No one will know about her past and those who do, including you, will pretend she’s just a village girl he met and married. She’ll go with him anywhere he wants to take her.”
“Hmm. I doubt it will go unnoticed or remarked upon,” she said, looking at the girl who was still staring at the floor and flushing a lovely shade of pink.
“It will be fine. Rocurt, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, does not concern himself with what anyone thinks. He loves this girl. She is everything he’s ever wanted and more. No one will dare do anything to hurt her or they will suffer the consequences, depend upon it.”
“Please don’t think I was intending to spread malicious gossip. The girl herself can tell you that I came to her aid when I thought he’d abducted her. And I didn’t remark upon her to anyone. I kept their secret,” she said, scowling at him.
“I appreciate that. So do Rocurt and Melsint. The three of us are close, as you see. You don’t have to bear witness to anything that makes you uncomfortable, but when we’re downstairs dining or entertaining, we’ll be together. Civility and the appearance of friendly relations will be expected.”
“I understand,” she said coolly, though she did not understand at all. Was he saying that he would continue an unnatural closeness with the former pet of his brother in their so-called playroom? And that Brandese would be expected to pretend to like the girl while he did? A terrible suspicion rose up. Was this the girl that he and his brother had mounted on a statue and took turns having relations with? If so, now that she’d married the brother, she would always be at the center of that triangle, and Brandese would be forever outside it. “I will endeavor to maintain appearances downstairs. Is that all? Or am I expected to dine in the nude with her as well?”
“I’ll go,” the girl said, fleeing the room like a frightened child.
“Badly done,” he said with menace in his voice.
“Yes, but not on my part.”
“Be careful how you tread. Rocurt is more than a brother. He is my closest friend and always will be. What matters to him, matters to me. And at the moment, her happiness matters to him more than anything else in the entire world. I am not exaggerating. Do not slight her or cut her. She’s not a polished girl of your circle who is used to it.”
Tears prickled in her eyes. So the former pet was to be protected like a fragile doll, unlike Brandese herself? She remembered quite well the way the commander had said he didn’t care for Brandese’s attitude and the way Evston had dealt with her because of it.
He is my closest friend and always will be. The three of us are close.
She blinked her eyes several times to banish the tears that threatened to overtake her. “I’ve said I understand your warning.” She withdrew from the bed, wrapping one of the linens around her. She sat in a chair in the corner, lifting the flat com screen.
