Page 23 of Wicked Things

“Please tell the Gorian council that I’ll be there soon, and that I’ll be traveling with a full and heavily armed guard, so they can prepare for me and my men. And should anyone be interested, tell them this—their new king is on his way. And he is not a weak and mortally wounded man, but a monarch fully capable of defending himself, his consort and Gorias with his sword, should the need arise. Tell them to spread the word.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” the guard said and saluted me before hurrying to the door with his message.

I sighed, took one more sip of the excellent wine and headed next door to speak to Braden.

As I came into the bedroom, I could see only the very top of his bright, tousled head poking up out of the nest of pillows and covers he’d made for himself once I left the bed. He was lying squarely in the middle, which reminded me that he had also hogged the covers all night long.

I sat down beside him and took hold of the small, surprisingly pretty, bare foot that was sticking out of the covers. Even the nails on his toes were like little pearls.

What was he anyway? He wasn’t all human, and he certainly wasn’t all Faery either. He was some mixture or amalgam of the two, with a dash of something else thrown in for good measure. It wasn’t only that he was attractive. It was that he radiated a compelling personal charm like the sun radiated heat. It wasn’t any kind of compulsion he was using though—it was simply him.

“Braden, wake up,” I said, squeezing his foot a little, wondering why his skin was so silky smooth. He was a man, damn it. “I need to talk to you.”

He groaned and sat up, his eyes such bright and brilliant blue that I blinked at him for a moment. He had bed hair and sleepy eyes, and no one who had just woken up should look that good.

“Oh, good morning,” he said, with a shy, sweet smile. “Are you getting up already?” He took a good look at me and sighed. “Oh no. You’re already dressed. Did I oversleep again?”

“No, I wanted you to sleep in, so I didn’t wake you. You had a big day yesterday.”

Another sweet smile that made me want to climb back in bed with him. “I guess I did,” he said softly and dropped his gaze. “Parts of it were very nice though,” he said and blushed. Blushed. Like a maiden. I had to kiss him then, climbing on top of him so I could feel his body underneath mine. One thing led to another…

And this whole damn thing was turning out to be a big problem. I’d never get any work done at this rate.

When I finally pulled myself away from him, perhaps a half hour later, and I pulled myself back together again, I told him sternly that he needed to get up and get dressed. I had something important to talk to him about.

He scrambled out of bed then, treating me to a flash of his perfect, plump backside before he put on a robe, but I resolutely made myself stay in my chair. At this rate, I’d never get out of this bedroom.

“Sit down, Braden…no, over there, please. I’ll call for the servants to bring you something to eat.”

I rang for them and two eager courtiers came rushing in, almost getting stuck in the door as they both tried to cram their bodies through to be the first. They must have been standing right outside.

“Something we can do for you, Your Highness?” one of them asked, his tongue practically hanging out of his mouth.

“Oh, yes, please,” Braden said, giving him a brilliant smile that probably made a few of the man’s brain cells faint. “I’m starving. Some of the spiced eggs would be nice and some blueberries in sweet cream, if it’s not too much trouble. Those are so good.”

“Yes, Highness, right away.” They started to turn away and then caught themselves as they remembered I was in the room as well.

The one doing all the talking asked, “Oh. W-would Your Grace like something too?”

I stared at them until they fidgeted, and when I was sure they were uncomfortable, I said, “Yes. Bring me a glass of the nectar wine. I never finished mine this morning.”

“Yes, of course, sire.”

They bowed their way out of the room, and I made a mental note to get their names and have them switched off Braden’s service. Perhaps cleaning the privy would suit their skill set.

“In the meantime, Braden, I need to tell you something. And I’m afraid it might upset you.”

“Oh no,” he said, his face paling. “It’s not about Leofric, is it?”

“What? Who? Oh, you mean your uncle or cousin or whoever he is. I don’t know anything about him.”

“Well, I’ve been so worried about him. I’m sorry I interrupted.”

“It’s about your father, actually. King Callum of Gorias. I’m afraid he’s dead. Someone was able to sneak into his sickroom and murder him.”

He looked shocked at the news. “What? No… I-I never even got to meet him.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”