“Yes, you do,” I insisted warmly. “And she’s beautiful. And I think she loves you back.”
Aster’s ears went red.
“May I suggest we take this somewhere more private?” Theron finally spoke.
Aster’s eyes snapped to him.
“You will tell me what happened,” he demanded, making the King’s eyes glow, reminding him silently who was boss here.
“I will,”Theron replied, and there was something in his tone that made Aster pause, made him swallow whatever he was about to say next. “But not in front of an audience.”
I looked around, startled to find at least six soldiers pretending very hard not to listen while clearly listening with their whole souls.
“Oh,”I whispered.“They’re nosey.”
Theron adjusted his grip on me, then began walking again, forcing Aster to move with him or be left behind. Aster fell into step immediately, his broad shoulders tight with tension, his gaze darting over me like he was checking for wounds.
I watched him for a moment, then threw my head back with a dramatic sigh.
“Aster,” I said sadly.
“What?” he snapped, then softened instantly as if remembering that snapping at me was not going to help. “What is it?”
“You need a hug,” I informed him.
He blinked.
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do,” I insisted, then wiggled in Theron’s hold like I was going to launch myself at Aster right there. Therontightened his arms, not roughly, but with enough firmness that I felt the boundary.
“No,” he said.
I pouted at him, then reached up and poked his cheek.
“You’re bossy.”
“I am king,” he replied as if that was enough and, well, yeah, I guess it was. I considered that answer a beat longer, then smiled like it was the best answer I’d ever heard.
Aster’s voice dropped, urgent now.
“Alex, you disappeared. I woke up, and you were gone.”
I frowned, suddenly guilty, the feeling blooming hot and heavy in my chest in a way that made my eyes sting.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Aster’s expression softened despite himself, fear flickering behind his anger.
“Why did you leave?”
“Not here,” Theron bit out again.
“Here, give her to me, and I will take her back to my tent.”
The king nearly blazed with fury as I could feel it practically vibrating off him. So, I started to stroke his face and coo at him, “Ssshh… it’s okay, you’re okay… we are all A-O-Kay.”
I hoped this would help because he was giving Aster a death stare. Then he ignored him and continued walking to his own tent. Which I was secretly happy about because I wondered how much bigger it was than mine. It was like staying at a hotel and wondering what the penthouse suite looked like compared to the smallest crappy room you could afford. Wow, bitter much, Alex. Oh, but wait, Atlas had put me up in one of his fancy penthouse suites, which had been nice.
