“Whatagreeable circumstanceswould that be?” King Victor sneered. “When Wulia conveniently forgets about the theft Branem perpetrated more than fifty years ago? Still hoping we forget the debt of honor that is owed by your family? The years of trauma your family has caused?”
Everand’s eyes flared, and a muscle ticked in his jaw as if he were grinding his teeth.
“Don’t worry,” King Victor continued in a silky-smooth tone. “I have a solution to ensure that the debt is paid at last. Just hope your father will sacrifice you. If not, my next step is to see that Frostbourne is burned to ashes.”
“No!” Everand screamed.
“What do you mean, sacrifice?” Hugo shouted at the same time. Both he and Everand attempted to lunge at the king, but guards grabbed them and pulled them back.
King Victor’s gaze fell on Hugo and a slow smile formed, causing shards of ice to form in Hugo’s stomach. That was not a kind smile.
“Good work, Captain. You acquired your targetandthe very best kind of spare.” King Victor shifted his attention to Everand. “Behave, Your Highness, or it will be your fiancé who suffers.”
He turned to his desk and gave an absent wave of his hand, as if all the energy had drained out of him. “Put them in the dungeon. I don’t want to look at them any longer.”
Without another word, the guards dragged them away, shutting down any chance of negotiation. And no chance to find out more of this bad history that lingered between the two kingdoms.
At the very least, Everand had to know something of it. Maybe he could get more information from the prince once they were alone in the dungeon.
Hugo mentally sighed.A dungeon.
To think not all that long ago, he’d been anticipating a sexy night in bed with his lover. Now he was in Wulia, being escorted to the dungeon. His life had become far too unpredictable.
Twenty-Two
The dungeon was about what he’d expected. Cold, damp stone walls underground. Flickering torches left long streaks of soot. An old rancid stench hung in the air. Not so much that it gagged him, but enough that Hugo couldn’t quite escape the smell. It was still only the middle of spring, so the temperature was quite cool, biting through the material of his now stained and filthy tuxedo jacket. When Hugo gazed at himself, he almost laughed. Tossed into a dungeon wearing a tuxedo designed by the royal tailor. He couldn’t appear more out of place.
The guards stopped at one cell, opened it, removed the rope from Everand’s hands, and shoved him inside before closing the door with a loud, metallic bang. They took Hugo to the next cell and repeated the same actions. The second he could move his arms, pain shot down both of them. Circulation returned, along with pins and needles in every nerve ending.
Thankfully, iron bars separated their cells rather than a stone wall. Hugo rushed over to Everand’s cell and shoved his hands between the bars. Everand clasped his icy hands and rested his forehead on Hugo’s.
“My treasure, I’m so sorry about this. You should never have been dragged here. I never want to see you come to any kind of harm,” Everand murmured.
“Were you serious all those times you talked about us being together? Even the silly cottage in the woods with the rabbits. Did you mean it?” Hugo asked.
Everand jerked his head up, and his deep-sapphire-blue eyes glittered in the thin torchlight. “Yes, of course! You’re my treasure, and I want to be with you always.”
“Then this is part of your life, too. Being a royal isn’t all balls and brunches, right? There’s danger that comes with it. I need to see that too if I’m to understand your life. I want to share everything I can with you.”
Everand sighed and leaned on the bars again. His thumb rubbed back and forth across Hugo’s fingers. “Sure, but what if you decide I’m not worth it? Being rich is nice and fun, but people try to kill me or kidnap me every once in a while. It’s rather annoying.”
A hint of a smile played on Hugo’s lips as his lover tried to downplay all the worries that surrounded him, but it didn’t mean Hugo’s heart didn’t ache for Everand. “If I weren’t willing to stick by your side through this, it would mean I’m not worthy of you. I’m here because I want to be.”
“You are worthy, Hugo. Never doubt it. And I am glad that you’re here, even if that makes me a selfish bastard. I just feel that with you at my side, we can figure out how to fix this mess.”
Relief swept through Hugo at his words, but he didn’t miss how exhausted Everand looked. “Why don’t we sit? Or maybe you could go lie down on that straw, try to get some sleep?”
“Sitting here is enough. I want to be close to you for a little while.”
Hugo slid to the filthy stone floor and held Everand’s hand through the bar. It was cold and damp, but Everand’s hand was warm and strong.
“Um…I don’t want to pry…”
Everand huffed out a weary laugh and leaned his head against the bars. “You have every right to know why we’re in here, and it’s because of my grandparents as well as Victor’s grandparents.”
“That…was not the answer I was expecting to hear, but I’m getting the feeling that it would explain why you and King Victor look similar.”
“Yes, Victor and I are technically cousins. Or…maybe half cousins. It’s…messy.”
