“What, Majesty?” He blinked at her, noticing her frown and only recalled where they were and that they were alone too late. “Forgive me, Lyra. I’ve been distracted lately. Exams are coming up.”
The corner of her mouth tipped upward and she leaned back in her chair. “That isn’t the only thing keeping you distracted, is it?”
It wasn’t really a question, and he felt himself stiffen. How much did she know?
She waved his concerns off with a flick of her wrist. “Word spreads, love. Of course I’ve heard all about how Pavel Hart tore through your flesh in front of an entire classroom.”
“I—”
“I’ll give you the lie this once,” she cut him off. “You’re always cleaning up my brother’s messes, you deserve to make one of your own now and again. I assume Samuel pushed his luck, even if he wasn’t the cause of your gruesome injury. But heed my warning. Next time one of my people does something to piss you off, you aren’t allowed to act alone. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Lyra. Forgive me.”
“Why did you lie about the Hart boy?” she wondered. “Do you…like him perhaps?”
There was no rule about Zane sleeping with other people. He was allowed to take physical pleasure from whoever he wanted, however and whenever he pleased.
But that didn’t mean he could fall for any of them.
Lyra might have found herself a new man, but that hadn’t changed the possessiveness she felt toward Zane. Like a child still insisting that her favorite toy belonged to her, despite leaving it on the shelf to collect dust.
Maybe it seemed hypocritical, but Zane didn’t want that kind of obsession turned his way. He didn’t want to be just another toy on someone’s shelf. Now that things with Kaz had ended, he found he no longer even wanted to settle for being someone’s first choice.
He wanted to be their only choice.
Period.
And he would never get that from Lyra.
If he’d been able to walk away from her, he would have done so years ago. Kelevra had offered to buy him his own place, but Lyra had hated the idea, insisting Zane stay with her so she wouldn’t become lonely.
He’d never really been hers because she’d never fully wanted him to be. But that still didn’t mean she wouldn’t throw a fit if she found out there was someone out there who was making serious moves on him.
Not that he could definitively say that’s what was going on with Pavel…There was always the chance the guy was messing with him. Hell, that made a lot more sense than Pavel waking up one morning suddenly interested in learning what Zane’s insides felt like.
What had he said last week in that crumbling, damp library?
He’d been curious about his refractory period.
“It’s nothing,” Zane forced himself to reply. “He’s nothing. Just a fling.”
He could tell her what really happened. It would be embarrassing and she’d probably think less of him afterward, but Pavel wouldn’t be able to walk away unscathed. As much as he hated the feeling of being trapped in this house, chained to her side, there was a method to this madness that he understood.
Pavel Hart was a conundrum through and through, and Zane didn’t have the time for one of those.
“He assaulted you,” Lyra frowned. “Did you at least report it to Kelevra?”
“Your brother knows.” Everyone knew. As she’d already pointed out, rumors were already abuzz. “I told him the same thing I’m telling you. It’s nothing. We had an argument and Pavel took things too far, that’s all.”
Zane had met with Kelevra, intent on asking his questions but…He’d gotten cold feet part way through. He was higher up the hierarchy than Pavel, and knew that Kel would take his side, but that didn’t mean the prince wouldn’t think of him differently if he discovered what’d transpired between them. Not to mention, there had to be a reason he was keeping Pavel’s secret.
He’d played it over, and Zane was confident he’d figured it out. Having a shapeshifter in his arsenal gave Kelevra an edge that most other rulers didn’t have.
More of an edge than having a Royal Doctor in his pocket?
Probably.
That was what had stopped him. What’d kept him from demanding answers. Zane had found himself sweeping the whole bite under the rug, acting like it’d been no big deal.
