Rap. Rap. Rap.
“Your Majesty? Uh, Prince Zevayr, your father—”
“If you value your life, you will leave,” I snap, turning toward the door. Rage clouds my senses, and our room darkens as stormclouds gather outside.
A beat.
“Sire, please, King Varad—”
“Leave.Now!” I roar. A crack of thunder splinters the air.
Mayah yelps beneath me, and I whirl around, sweeping a soothing hand up her side. My lips brush hers in a brief kiss. “Sorry, baby,” I whisper, smiling in apology.
Hushed murmurs seep in through the door, then a different voice says, “Apologies, sire. The matter is urgent. Otherwise we would never … impose.”
I growl, scrubbing a hand over my face. Why this, whynow?
“Lightning damn them to the Skies and back.” I lean down, one hand pressed between Mayah’s breasts. “Stay. Right. Here.” A kiss for every word. “I’ll be right back. Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she breathes. Her lips curve into a pout, so tempting that I want to kiss her senseless, but then I’ll never leave.
I dress quickly, heading toward the door when Mayah calls out, “Aren’t you going to wash your face at least?”
I grin, purposefully licking my lips slowly, relishing in the flush that paints her cheeks.
“No. I don’t think I will.”
I burst into the council chambers with the force of a maelstrom. The door slams back against the stone wall, commanding the attention of the room.
“A miracle,” Faramir sneers, a vicious smirk twisting his face. “I thought I’d need to retrieve you myself.” His cold gaze narrows on my disheveled hair, my half-buttoned tunic. “A missed opportunity, it seems.”
He licks his lips suggestively, not dissimilar to how I did mere minutes ago to make Mayah blush.
“What was so skiesdamned urgent?” I snap.
“The Rebellion, sire,” Jeyzar explains. “We fear they’re planning another attack. Scouts report a significant number of amassed rebels. We think”—he shares a brief glance with my father—“it’s time you head to the border. You’ll be better equipped to manage the situation.”
My stomach plummets. I knew this would be the eventual outcome. But to leave Mayah amongst these wolves is unthinkable.
Especially my brother.
I stare at the map, the dotted line cutting through Arbinj marking where the Rebellion has managed to stake their claim, willing my mind to conjure another possibility, another reality where there’s a better option than leaving my wife unprotected.
My jaw clenches.
There isn’t.
Jeyzar and my father aren’t out of line for suggesting I leave—I haven’t spent this much time at the palace in over a decade.
But I didn’t have Mayah then.
“I’ll go.” The dark wood of the table groans as I grip the edge. “But only ifhecomes, too.”
A beat of incredulous silence.
Faramir’s hysterical laugh echoes through the quiet chamber. No one else makes a sound. “Oh, that’s rich, little brother. You’re well-aware that I can’t leave the palace. I’m the crown prince. It’s far too dangerous. Arbinj’s future hangs in the balance.”
“Do you want our people to think you a coward? Our subjects won’t respect a king who hides behind hislittle brother. You’ll accompany me. I’ll ensure you’re removed from dangerous situations.” Faramir’s left eye twitches, his face reddening as he bares his teeth in a snarl.
