“Something to say?' said Laurent Jord was holding off from them. The same stubborn distaste was in his voice. 'Not with him… — 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
“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
“Laurent whirled his horse to face Damen. ‘I need you to captain the men. Take the command from Jord. It’s yours. It… — 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
“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
“My honourable barbarian. I wouldn’t have picked that as your type.’ ‘Type?’ ‘A pretty face, a devious mind and a ruthless nature.’… — 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
“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
“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
“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
“There was no slave,’ said Laurent. ‘He never existed. I don’t know what manner of man stands before me now. All I… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I’ll take care of your son,’ said Laurent. ‘I’ll protect his kingdom as if it were my own. I’ll give my life… — 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
“He lifted his hand to brush Laurent’s cheek, smiling. He was opening his eyes. ‘Damen,’ said Laurent. Damen’s heart moved in his… — 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
“And if you want a personal message,’ said Laurent, ‘You can tell my uncle boykiller that he can cut the head off… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You’re alive,’ Damen said, and the words came out on a rush of relief that made him feel weak. ‘I’m alive,’ said… — 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
“I've come to tell you who I am." Laurent was so keenly familiar, the shade of his hair, the strapped down clothing,… — 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
“A lot depends on timing. We have a rendezvous in two days. I—Don’t be late.’ ‘Trust me,’ said Laurent with a single… — 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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“He won’t hurt the child,’ said Laurent. ‘Whether it is your son or Kastor’s, it is leverage. It is leverage against you,… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I’m not—’ said Laurent. And then, as the moment stretched out between them, ‘I’m not an innocent who needs his hand held… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“My uncle has killed his catamite,’ said Laurent. ‘As a message to us. And what is the message?’ His voice carried. ‘That… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“If you want an answer, you’ll need to ask the question,’ said Laurent. ‘Half the men riding in your company are convinced… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I hated you,“ said Laurent. "I hated you so badly I thought I’d choke on it. If my uncle hadn’t stopped me,… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Charcy is won.’ ‘I thought it would be.’ He made himself breathe through that. ‘Your men think you’re a coward. Nikandros thinks… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You seem to vacillate between assistance and assault. Which is it?' 'I'm not surprised you've driven three men to try and kill… — C.S. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Let me in,’ he said, and Laurent made a new sound, his head dropped between his shoulder blades, his breath ribboning out… — 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
“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
“What?’ Damen was smiling. ‘You’re very,’ said Laurent, and then, flushing, ‘attractive.’ ‘Really,’ said Damen, in a rich, warm voice. ‘Yes,’ said… — 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
“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
