Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
That was fine for now. The last time he got too close, raising his voice over my intervening in a dispute between him and a private citizen, crossing over the boundary into Varic’s wing of the palace, Zev had grabbed and returned him, as though throwing a sack, tumbling into the king’s area.
Getting up, Kaan had drawn his sword and rushed back to do battle with Zev, who stood, silent and waiting, not having drawn his weapon.
“Have you lost your mind?”
We all heard Tiago’s horrified gasp, and really, nothing sucked the air out of uncontrollable rage faster than Tiago’s voice, which, as far as I could tell, hit everyone’s brain stem the same way. When he was unhappily surprised by something, his voice took on the screech-and-shriek quality of nails on a chalkboard rolled up in dripping disdain. The sound went right through you, and I’d seen Zev wince at the sound, as Kamari, who was closest to Tiago, growled.
Kaan had frozen in his tracks, looking at Varic’s rajan.
“Zev fought alongside Hadrian while you were still in swaddling clothes,” Tiago had told Kaan. “He could remove your head so cleanly, you would still be speaking from your dead lips. And furthermore, how dare you cross into the dwelling of the prince without express permission, you ignorant oaf.”
“The prince’s consort—”
“May do as he sees fit,” Tiago had cut him off. “You think, as do some others, that the consort of the prince is not yet seated, as there has been no ceremony. But honestly, Kaan, as the prince has bestowed his seal, marking himself as belonging to his chosen mate, you should really get into the habit of listening to Jason. You would not want him to suggest to the prince that your quarrelsome disposition is better suited to guard duty in the hypogeum.”
Kaan had blanched, we all saw it, and Tiago, having his prey where he wanted him, smiled slowly and evilly because that’s how he was. I learned early with him that yes, he was immensely formidable and scary on his own, but more than that, he was spoiled. So spoiled. Whatever he asked of his mate, Hadrian, he got. Whatever he asked of his lord, Varic, he also got. I couldn’t say no either, which made me just as guilty. And yes, he was pretty, so pretty, and the idea of hurting the feelings of such a sweet, delicate flower made me feel like a beast. But more importantly, I never wanted him to be upset. It would kill me.
It was like he was so confident of his place in the world that the very idea that anyone would knock him off his pedestal was the worst thing I could think of. I didn’t want that for him. Just as important, a more loyal, devoted friend to Varic would have been hard to find. Without question, Tiago would trade his life for Varic’s in a heartbeat. Considering he stood at Varic’s side, always, that he was so protective and cautious, made him all the more special to me. The fact that he liked me, a bit, was a bonus.
That hadn’t helped the situation with an utterly fuming Kaan.
“If you were not—”
“If I were not what?” Tiago had goaded him, because that was how he was. When the bear was enraged and looming, that was the time to bait it some more.
“I—”
“What is this, then?” Hadrian had asked, walking down the hall toward us, some of Varic’s guards, his dreki, following.
With a big smile for the love of his life, Tiago said, “Oh, darling, I was just now explaining to Kaan that he should heed any order the consort of the prince gives him, and then he began to reply that if I were not…and I was not certain what he was going to say then because you appeared.”
Hadrian had done that thing where you saw him square up, shoulders raised, stance braced, hands fisted, brows furrowed. Basically, every line of the man bristled. As he was, without question, the strongest vampyr in the world after Varic, he was the absolute last person you wanted looking at you like that.
“What words had you for my mate?” Hadrian had asked, his voice dark and cold.
“The prince has not yet married his consort. I was arguing that fact,” Kaan had replied, which was really smart, and honestly, more than I’d expected of him. “It should not be necessary to heed his words. Tiago thought to school me.”
“As well he should,” Hadrian had affirmed, taking a step closer to the smaller man.
Everyone was smaller than Hadrian. And yes, some were thicker, some were taller, but somehow, merely standing around, doing nothing, Hadrian seemed menacing from the power that rolled off him in waves. But then again, you didn’t get to be the champion of the king’s house if you weren’t the scariest person in any room.