But after his brother’s episode, and now that one of their servants had fallen too, they couldn’t ignore this. What was causing these things, if not some form of those shadowy creatures?
They had never proven that rival court guilty of setting these beasts upon them. But if the ones they’d apprehendeddidturn out to be from Nocturne…
His blood chilled as he thought of the potential implications of such a thing.
And to think, he had started to tell Princess Leonora that these things couldwait.
Why had he said that?
Why had he kissed her, for that matter?
It wasn’t like him to give in to such impulses, or to make a show for the members of the court to gossip about. But there was no denying it: He’dwantedto kiss her. Desperately. Something in her voice had awakened a primal part of him that he’d long ago buried, and he’d wanted to claim her right then and there, brand her with his kiss, his touch, and for a moment he hadn’t cared about whatever obligations he was ignoring or what any onlookers might have thought.
And while I was doing that, a war was potentially beginning in my realm.
He had let his feelings interfere with his duty, even though he’d sworn he wouldn’t. And here he was, doing it again, losing himself in thoughts of her.
Chaos,she’d called herself.
An accurate assessment.
“Your thoughts, Highness?” prompted Osric.
Tarron forced his expression into something resembling calm, and he kept his tone hard and formal as he said, “You came for me, but where is my brother? Has he been informed of these matters already?”
“Yes.” Osric hesitated. There was an unspoken question in his eyes as he continued: “The king retreated to his study shortly after we briefed him on the situation.”
Tarron frowned, because he knew the question that Osric dared not to ask: Was Deven hiding away because he was feeling ill again? Concern gnawed at his insides, threatening to make his heart race and his voice shake.
Not now,he ordered himself.
He couldn’t show that concern. Because ifhelooked concerned, then the rest of his council would follow suit, and panic would spread like wildfire throughout the Sun Court.
Besides, he’d shown enough damnfeelingsfor one day.
“The two suspects,” he said, “you’re certain they’re secured?”
“Yes. They’ve been taken to theguest suitesdown below. They’re being treated to the highest level of security.”
A quiet bout of humorless laughter echoed through the room; the king frequently referred to the dungeons asguest suites.
“Well secure them further,” Tarron ordered, rising to his feet. “And I will see to them personally after I go and speak with my brother.”
After a bit of searching,he tracked his brother down—the king was no longer in his study, but in his private bedchambers. He didn’t look thrilled to have company, but Tarron barged his way into the room and closed the door all the same.
Deven folded his arms across his chest, regarding his younger brother with a weary look. “You’ve heard about our little disturbance this morning, I’m assuming?”
“Yes.” Tarron hesitated, choosing his next words carefully. “Though I should have been notified sooner.”
The king shrugged. “You’re normally strolling through those gardens every morning; I was surprised to learn that you hadn’t been there to personally witness the drama unfolding.”
Images of the way hehadspent his morning—laughing and cooking breakfast with Leanora, her voice mesmerizing him into kissing her—flashed through Tarron’s mind once more.
Distracting,chaotic little thing.
He gave his head a little shake, as though that would rid him of the lingering feelings she’d stirred in him. “I was…otherwise occupied.” Deven lifted a brow, but Tarron continued before he could say anything: “What about you? I thought you would be in the dungeons, overseeing the interrogation.”
“I wondered if you might like to do it? You have more of a stomach for such things.”
