Pel looked particularly tempted for a moment, and then he sucked in a breath, smiled at Tor, and headed for the door.
Tor watched him go and tried to figure out when he’d stopped seeing a perfectly ordinary, perfectly unnoticeable person. He couldn’t pinpoint an exact moment; all he could be certain of was that his perception had been completely altered. Hemuststill be plain, but when Tor looked now, all he could see wasPel, and Pel was very dear to him.
It was a weird phenomenon. Did it always happen, Tor wondered, and he’d been missing out all this time because he usually took beautiful people to bed for a night or two? Were people transforming all around Tor, and he’d never looked? Or did Pel transformbecauseTor looked, and other people were transforming when people who cared about them looked at them? Or maybe it wasn’t Pel who’d transformed at all, but Tor?
He’d come here to pretend to court Pel, and if he’d succeeded in charming him to begin with, he would probably have slept with him, let the rumors spread, and gone backin all triumph to his brother—and missed out on the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him.
He couldn’t forget that he’d actually met Pel before this and completely forgotten him. How did you not notice the person you were meant to be with? Only if someone had told Tor that he’d be courting Pelun of Tond in earnest a year ago or even six months ago, Tor would have laughed in their face.
Instead, the feelings had sneaked up on him—perhaps the only way this could ever have happened.
But he was so glad it had.
A servant came in with hot water, and Tor greeted her just as he usually would, and then cleaned himself up, shaved, and dressed.
He was already anxious to see Pel again, which wasridiculous. Tor was sure he hadn’t acted like this even when he was a callow teen. It was embarrassing… and he just kept feeling it anyway.
He headed to the kitchens and reminded himself that he and Pel would see one another soon. He greeted the kitchen staff and refreshed the crystal lights to the usual murmur of thanks as they presented him with breakfast.
Ever since he’d started with the lights, they didn’t seem to mind if he tucked himself away in a corner and ate his breakfast. He was still the High Prince, of course, but maybe Pel was rubbing off on him a bit—ha!—and he was also just a person who could eat without it needing to be a big spectacle.
There was sweetened porridge with nuts, a roll with butter and cheese, two fried eggs, a winter apple—wrinkled but sound—and fella-root to drink. Tor began to eat with gusto. He hadn’t been able to stomach the idea of food after the competition, and lunch yesterday had been a long time ago.
He’d intended to ask Larexa if she’d take over with the crystals, since he knew better than to ask King Forex. The man lit plenty of crystal lights that were useful to him, but it was equally clear that he wasn’t concerned about the comfort of his staff. Tor suspected that Larexa just hadn’t thought about it.
Of course, if Tor stayed here,hecould keep the crystal lights lit. Neither he nor Pel were set to inherit, so in theory, Tor could remain here. He wasn’t sure what his brother would think about that—nor King Forex, for that matter—but it was at least a possibility. Would Pelwantto come to Alossa? Tor knew he cared about his people. Tor cared abouthis, too, but they were in good hands with Varex, and Tor’s connections had never been as personal as Pel’s were.
Or maybe Pel would be willing to travel? Despite the fact that Tor had come here for all the wrong reasons, he’d learned a lot, and he thought it might actually be a good idea to visit all the realms and get to know their royals and their citizens more naturally than at the occasional event where everyone was on their best behavior.
Or maybe they could do all of it. Spend some time in Tond, some in Alossa, and still more visiting the other realms. For the first time in years, Tor was thinking long-term, and that meant there was lots of time to work with. Obviously, he’d have to see what Pel was interested in, but maybe they could try a few things out and see what suited best.
Tor was looking forward to the future with hope and enthusiasm. He hadn’t realized he’d lost that. Oh, he knew it wasn’t always going to be smooth sailing between him and Pel, but given what they’d made it through so far, he was confident they could weather anything.
He’d definitely have to be better about how he thought about and talked about magic, though. Pel’s experience was completely different from his own, and Tor was pretty sure he needed to learn more and talk less as he tried to understand Pel’s point of view. He’d been extremely magical and extremely privileged for most of his life, and it showed. He was looking forward to what Pel could teach him.
Someone had apparently been keeping an eye on him, because he’d just realized his plate was empty and he was still hungry when another bowl of porridge appeared, along with more fella-root.
“I love you all,” Tor told the kitchen at large.
There was a chorus of laughter, and they went back to work as Tor dug into the food.
He was anxiously trying to make plans, he realized, because he’d become aware of how much time he’d spent here. And now it was more important than ever that Tor make a good impression on Varex. Unfortunately, disappearing for several months to not actually do what his brother wanted was probably not the most auspicious start.
Tor could write to him, but what good would that do? No, he was pretty sure he needed to explain in person. Because the thing was, apart from the fact that he hadn’t seen Ada or Rin in weeks and weeks, he washappyhere. He felt useful and productive—and there seemed to be a good chance he was going to get to make out with Pel regularly now, which was the best.
He just needed to figure out how to convince his brother to see it the same way. Tor could swallow some humble pie, couldn’t he? Because with that one major exception of not having anything to do with Terila, Tor hadtrulydone what Varex asked. No drinking, no orgies, and he’d never in his life been more serious about courting and bonding. Alossa had no formal ties with Tond, just like Vayrin, so this was still a politically advantageous match. Tor got along well with Bavil, and Forex grumbled way more about the United Realms than Terila’s parents ever had. Maybe Tor being here was exactly what they needed for continued peace.
All right, maybe that was pushing it a bit far, but still, Tor believed this really could be presented as a smart choice, though he had every intention of doing it even if it were the most foolish choice that had ever existed.
He wanted Pel, and that was that.
He finished his second bowl of porridge, waved at the staff, and made his way out to the stables—where he was surprised by the strength of the surge of relief he felt when he found that Pel was already there, as usual, saddling Extraordinary.
What had Tor thought he was going to do, leave Tor’s bed and suddenly run for the hills? This was still new, he reminded himself, and they were figuring things out. Tor also hadn’t expected how strong the urge would be to back Pel up into the stable wall and kiss him senseless.
Notsubtle.Notlikely to reduce rumors.
So Tor flashed Pel what he hoped was a normal smile, called good morning, and went to saddle his own horse.
