“He said it to Laurent. Laurent said that from this moment on, any Veretian who struck an Akielon would be executed. He… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“It’s considerably less than a foot,’ said Damen. ‘Is it?’ said Laurent. ‘It feels like more when you argue with me on… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“His heart pounding, he tried to stop it, to salvage it. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Kastor made me a slave. Laurent freed me.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“For a moment he thought Laurent wasn’t going to do it. But in public, Laurent had no recourse to refusal. Laurent extended… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Hello,” said Damen. “I know that you have somehow arranged this,” said Erasmus. He was incapable of hiding what he felt and… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen said, ‘You have every other man working until dawn to prepare for tomorrow’s departure. What am I doing here?’ Another pause,… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“His eyes on Damen’s, slowly, he took up one of the tight-laced ties at his throat, and drew on it. The spill… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He could do none of that. But if there was something that Laurent wanted, he could give it to him. He could… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen said, ‘It’s not naive to trust your family.’ ‘I promise you, it is,’ said Laurent. ‘But I wonder, is it less… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Rumours of Damen’s enslavement in Vere had spread like fire through the camp. To see the Veretian Prince wear the gold cuff… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I said that’s enough,’ said Laurent. Damen was silent. It took a great deal of effort. Laurent was staring at him with… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen said, ‘I made him a promise.’ ‘And when he learns who you are?’ said Jord. ‘When he learns that he is… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent said, ‘The soldiers in Kastor’s army are trained in massage?’ ‘No,’ said Damen. ‘But I think the rudiments are easy to… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen dropped the pitcher. It shattered, shards flying outward as it slipped from his fingers and hit the stone floor. Laurent’s arms… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“All right,' he heard Lazar say. He'd forgotten Lazar was there. After a long moment, he took his eyes off Laurent and… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen let out a breath. Laurent, he realised suddenly, wasn’t playing them against one another. He was playing to Nikandros. There was… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He dismounted. ‘Are you here to kill me?’ said Jord. ‘No,’ said Damen. There was a silence. They stood two paces apart.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“After a long moment Laurent said, with painful honesty, ‘I . . . find it difficult to let go of control.’ ‘No kidding,’ said Damen.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Well? Attend me,’ said Laurent. ‘Attend,’ said Damen. The word sank into him. He felt as he had in the training arena… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“It’s not a trick,’ said Laurent. ‘You’d let me go,’ said Damen. This time it was Laurent who was silent, gazing back… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“A fourth son, thought Damen, waiting for someone to notice him. When he wasn’t trying to please, he was baiting authority, as… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen thought privately that princes needed seasoning not protection. Laurent in particular. He had seen Laurent open his mouth and strip paint… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent shuddered against him as they kissed, as if, having surrendered to it, the painful exchange of brother for lover, he was… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You were looking for me?’ Laurent didn’t answer, and Damen couldn’t interpret his expression. ‘What is it?’ said Damen. ‘You’re better than… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Reporting to Jord, Damen found himself caught in a conversation that he wasn’t ready for. ‘I could tell from your face. You… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Gratified, Damen stood still while the attendants scraped the oil from his body, and towelled him down. He returned to the dais,… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Is that an answer?’ said Damen. ‘I’m not a virgin,’ said Laurent. ‘I wondered,’ Damen said, carefully, ‘if you reserved your love… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I—’ ‘Say it.’ ‘I’m going to leave tomorrow,’ said Damen, as steadily as he could. ‘I’m not going to come back.’ He… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He didn’t turn back to look at Damen. ‘I hurt you, Laurent.’ ‘That’s enough, stop,’ said Laurent. ‘It wasn’t right. You were… — 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… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Does it shock you? I was a personal gift to the Prince of Vere.’ He had bared his whole forearm. Nikandros turned… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent had tamped down the smothered emotion in his eyes, and would endure an alliance with his brother’s killer, though he felt… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen didn’t see it at first, but he saw Laurent’s reaction to it, saw him rein in his horse and move in… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Think he’ll kill him?’ another speculated. Damen knew the answer to that question. Laurent was not going to kill him. He was… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent said, almost carefully, ‘I realise that in my service you do not have a great deal of opportunity to pursue the… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“There had been a silence, until Laurent had said, ‘You were right. I haven’t been thinking about it like this.’ ‘Like what?’… — 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… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He didn’t understand the forces that moved in Laurent, but some instinct pushed him to say it. ‘My first time, there was… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“After a moment: ‘At Ravenel, I—it had been a long time since I had—with anyone. I was nervous.’ ‘I know,’ said Damen.… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“A Veretian who treats honourably with an Akielon will be gutted with his own sword. It’s your countryman who taught me that.… — 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
