“With a clear moment of insight, Charls saw that Lamen was not a cloth merchant’s assistant. He was the prince’s private companion,… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“What makes you think Kastor is the weaker man? You don't know him.' 'But I'm coming to know you,' said Laurent.” — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent said, ‘If Jord wants to get down on his knees for Aimeric, he should know exactly who he’s crawling for.’ *” — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“That was the last thing he said, because Damen hit him. He drove his fist into Laurent’s jaw with all the force… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent entered, an edge to his grace, like a leopard with a headache, around whom one must tread very, very carefully. ‘Good… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen’s palm slid over Laurent’s warm nape; slowly, very slowly, making his height an offering, not a threat, Damen leaned in and… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You are too quick to pledge yourself to me.’ He felt the hard, bright edges of the pin in his fist. ‘You… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Did you think,’ said Laurent, ‘if you threw down a challenge to fight, I would not accept it?’ The Patran troops filled… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Ravenel’s forces on the hill began to split into a widening v-shape. ‘They’re moving to flank us. Have they mistaken us for… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Deliberately, he stepped forward, and clasped Laurent’s right shoulder. Nothing, for a moment. Damen tightened his grip, and ground in with his… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen looked around himself at the gathered men. He looked first to the Prince’s men, instinctively expecting to see his own reaction… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You will accompany me,’ said Laurent, ‘in lieu of a guard, and we leave at dusk. And that is as far as… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“They gazed at one another. It was a public goodbye, in full view of the men. Laurent extended his hand. He did… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent’s shoulders started shaking. Around the laughter emerged, ‘You wrestled him without any clothes on.’ ‘That is sports,’ said Damen. He folded… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Because it was impossible, he allowed himself to imagine, just once, what it would be like to face Laurent as a man… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The problem with tents was that you couldn’t knock. Damen leaned his weight on one of the poles and called out. The… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“After a moment, Laurent said, ‘He would have liked you.’ ‘Even after I started courting his little brother?’ said Damen carefully. He… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen said, with helpless honesty, "Laurent, I am your slave." The words laid him open, truth exposed in the space between them.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I’ve never seen a throw like that,’ said Laurent. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it. Every time I see you fight, I… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I want you to fight with me,’ said Damen. ‘Akielos is here to stand by your side.’ Guymar let out a shaky… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Nikandros didn’t speak again. He just stared in silence, white as one who had been struck a blow. Then, as though one… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You came', said Laurent. 'You knew I would', said Damen. 'If you need an army to take your capital', said Laurent, 'I… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Why not?” he said, abruptly. “Why not?” said Damen. “I don’t share your craven habit of hitting only those who cannot hit… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“This is yours. I have kept it . . . A foolish token. I knew it was treason. I wanted to remember you by it.’… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen found himself facing Jord. He didn’t need to look up to see the position of the sun. ‘I’m going to stop… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“On the table was the familiar map, weighted by three oranges and a cup. Arranging himself in the chair opposite Damen, casual… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The ache of loss didn’t make sense, because Laurent had never been his. He had known that. The delicate thing that had… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“My throne for your throne,’ Damen said. He pushed back the fabric. It was more bare skin than Laurent had ever shown… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He knew what he had to do. Against every rebelling instinct, he forced himself forward, and dropped to his knees before Laurent.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen spent two fruitless hours with Nikandros trying to plot a course that could sneak two wagons across the border without alerting… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He wanted to face Kastor, his brother, and ask him, man to man, why he had done what he had done. But… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He knew that expression. His sense of danger, highly attuned to Laurent’s moods, told him that Aimeric was better off downstairs with… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent flushed. The colour hit his cheeks hard, and a muscle tightened in his jaw as whatever he felt was forcibly repressed.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“And then there was a burst of activity from the lower gate, and a rider came into the courtyard: it was Laurent.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“So you will parley with me as with a king, and you will tell me why you called me here.’ Deliberately, Damen… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“In fact, the way Laurent’s men talked about their Prince now was not substantially different to the way that they had talked… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You know, my uncle knew who you were,’ said Laurent. ‘He spent this whole time waiting for us to fuck. He wanted… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Guerin shrugged, turned and with impersonal motions tipped the collar and the cuff segments into a cloth, and wrapped it, before passing… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Auguste was like you,’ said Laurent. ‘He had no instinct for deception; it meant he couldn’t recognise it in other people.’ ‘And… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen said, ‘I will help you in whatever way I can, but there will be no time for anything but hard work,… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Not everyone could have the blissful equanimity of Lamen, who seemed to pay the Prince no deference of rank, a piece of very good… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The ache of loss didn’t make sense, because Laurent had never been his. He had known that. The delicate thing that had grown between… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“His hands slid impotently down Laurent’s tight-laced clothing. Beneath him, Laurent’s kisses were all open-mouthed. Desire flamed, painful and bright. It” — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He let his lips form a half-smile. ‘You aren’t going to offer me one of your gaudy Veretian handkerchiefs?’ ‘You could use the clothing… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“My uncle plans everything,’ said Laurent, as though reading Damen’s thoughts. ‘He plans for victory and he plans for defeat. It was you who… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You want to hear the truth about my uncle? I’ll tell you,’ said Laurent, a new light in his eyes. ‘I’ll tell you what… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Instead of leaning in, Damen took Laurent’s hand, brought it towards himself, and kissed his palm, once.” — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent, he realised, had guarded his solitude for him. And his people, fearing the fierce, strange foreign prince, had done as Laurent ordered, and… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Stirring drowsily, Laurent shifted a fraction closer and made a soft, unthinking sound of pleasure that Damen was going to remember for the rest… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You are too quick to pledge yourself to me.’ He felt the hard, bright edges of the pin in his fist. ‘You are my… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
