The Master of the Wardrobe blinked and patted the key around his neck. “Your mother’s things, sire?”
“Of course.”
Jocasta’s mouth opened, then closed, settling into a firm line.
“Your mother was much taller, and erm, more slender, sire.”
Jocasta made a huffy noise. “I’m wearing layers!” she snapped, hands on her sturdy hips.
Girion swallowed a laugh and realized he was staring at the place where her waist met her hips. He studied the distance between her waist and bust. The way she braced her legs.
So small compared to him, but strong and shapely. His thoughts suddenly went to a night far in the future, when an heir was needed, and his larger body burrowed into hers, hearing her groans of pleasure in his ear, feeling her legs lock over the back of his thighs.
“Jocasta, you will send Herrick to me if you need anything, and I will come at once.” Girion pointed to Cole’s first lieutenant, the customary member of the guard chosen to watch over the queen. If eyebrows went up around the room, he ignored them,addressing only Jocasta. “I will let you eat and dress, and these fine people will procure all you want and need. If you want to see me once you’re refreshed, you’ve only to say. I have to—I have to attend to things. Come, Cole.” Another bow, another look that he shouldn’t have permitted to occur, and he was gone.
“Coward,” Cole whispered, daring to grab his back.
“What?” Girion wanted to pummel his oldest friend and most trusted warrior.
“You are leaving her alone, in this strange place?”
“She is not alone! There must be ten people in that room!”
“Shouldn’t one of them beyou? Isn’t she going to beyourwife?”
Girion nodded, then moved closer to his Captain of the Guard. “In name only, at least until an heir is necessary.”
Cole’s eyes opened wide. “I thought that nonsense would leave your head when you saw her, sire.”
Girion grunted. “I am not governed by lusts; I am governed by needs. The kingdom needs fresh magic in the royal line.”
“And your body needs a warm little thing like the mage in—”
Girion found his arm transforming into something clawed and furry, his clothes becoming too tight as his Bearfolk form unleashed, snarling head, deep, cavernous voice, and knife-like claws suddenly on his friend’s chest. “Don’t talk about her like that. She is my ally. Nothing more.”
Cole’s eyebrows raised and held their position. He didn’t flinch as jaws snapped and roared close to his face. “Touched a nerve, have I?”
Girion dug his claws in a little deeper, feeling Cole’s breastplate flex. He dragged his Captain of the Guard down the hall, into his rooms, and fairly flung him to the ground. “Cole!”
“I’m here,” Cole had the nerve to say in an unflappable voice, nimbly flexing at the knees to avoid falling on his rear.
“I... I am not going to let this woman have power over me. Carnal things and love would give her power, you do understand that, do you not?” Girion shook himself slowly back into human form, scowling and breathing hard. He hoped Jocasta hadn’t heard his roars, but of course she had—how could she have not? Would they have scared her? He didn’t want to scare her.
One shouldn’t scare one’s allies, yet one should be capable of making an ally fear what would happen should theybetraysaid alliance.
But the thought of Jocasta looking at him in fear made him feel small and slimy, like something that had to be cleaned out of the palace drains.
Cole was looking at him with concern. “Your parents loved each other. Mine do.”
“Yes, but... They were in love when they married, and they chose each other based on attraction, not practicality. The two situations are different, and we shouldn’t even be discussing this. You didn’t expect me to go find a mage and fall madly in love, did you?”
“No, but I thought you’d be smart enough to see a good thing when it falls in your lap.”
Girion closed his eyes briefly. Jocasta in his lap. Well, right in front of it. It was for warmth, practicality, and the fact that he had been too stupid to bring or buy her a horse of her own.
When he let himself think, he’d liked the feel of her nestled close.
When was the last time he had been embraced?
