Page 56 of His Realm

But I was shaking, terrified of what the king’s attack on me meant for him and Varic. I pointed at Cirillo instead.

“Speak,” Zev commanded him.

Cirillo chose that moment to walk around Zev to the other side of me. Normally, Zev and the others would not have allowed anyone that close to me, but I’d vouched for Cirillo, so they considered him a friend, not someone to keep from me.

Cirillo sat down beside me, legs crossed. “Do we not fear the assembly in the hall?”

“Not when the barrier is raised,” Dae-Jung informed him.

“Who are you?”

“I am Dae-Jung. I take care of Jason.”

“Jason?”

“Yes, he who is there next to you. Jason Thorpe.”

I looked at Cirillo, who glanced around at everyone.

“I don’t understand this lack of formality. The Varic I know would never permit such.”

“You know nothing of our prince,” Zev scoffed. “You have not laid eyes on him for over what, four hundred years or longer? He is not at all as you remember.”

“No?”

Zev shook his head. “And speaking of time past, where have you been?”

“Oh,” Cirillo said, forcing a smile. “Well, as you know, the battlefield was overrun, and I was taken captive, and my memory was⁠—”

“No,” Zev stated. “I can’t hear lies. Forget I asked. I don’t care enough to hear some exaggerated tale.”

“I am part of the dene. My house is noble and⁠—”

“Spare us all your drivel,” Zev ordered, watching as two of the men threw themselves against my barrier only to be thrown back hard several feet, slamming into others, causing yelling and cries of pain.

“This is your barrier?” Cirillo asked me, sounding flabbergasted.

“It is,” I said, breathing slowly, in and out, feeling both betrayed and sad down deep in my soul. I thought the king cared for me, but I had been so wrong.

“Were you running from the king’s men?” Dae-Jung asked me.

“Yeah, but I didn’t know they were his men until they didn’t follow me into Varic’s area. I suspected as much, but they’re dressed like ninjas.”

Heavy sigh from Dae-Jung. “What have I told you about that?”

“That there was no such thing as ninjas, no secret assassin cabal, but instead spies. They were called shinobi.”

“That’s correct. I blame Hollywood for this twisting of historical fact.”

He was always explaining things to me, which I actually did appreciate. “They’re all in black, with masks, so you can see why I was thinking they––”

“Prince Consort Jason Thorpe, you will surrender to the will of your king!” Kaan yelled as the assembled men opened a path for him. “You’re a traitor to the crown and will come with us now!”

“Oh, the hell he will,” Zev roared back at Kaan.

“Bring down this barrier at once!”

“You can go fuck yourself,” Zev yelled back.