Page 107 of His Realm

He shook his head at me.

“I just want you to know I appreciate you.”

His groan was loud as he went down on one knee next to Keres. “You have done well, lady, though I feel your gifts were squandered on such as Lord Ormiston.”

“But he was my consort’s champion in the absence of the rekkr and his hendr.”

“There wouldn’t have been an absence if my consort did not leave the palace unattended,” Zev yelled, and it sounded like thunder in the stairwell.

“This is a point well made,” Varic said, brows furrowing as he looked at me. “In fact, as suggestions and reminders have repeatedly gone ignored, I have initiated a new rule that your hendr will accompany you everywhere going forward.”

“I knew that was coming,” I muttered under my breath.

“Sorry?”

“It’s fine, though, really. I get it. Being here has taught me that I have to keep myself safe so my blood will always remain solely for you. To have it taken from me without my consent violates both of us.”

He nodded. “Yes, and absolutely not.”

“What?”

“You need to stay safe because I would be broken if anything were to ever happen to you. I am not myself when you’re not with me and have been informed that no one enjoys my company when I’m worried for your safety.”

Glancing at Hadrian, he gave me a pained nod of agreement.

“And Zev has been bereft with your absence,” Varic told me.

“My prince, bereft is not the word I would use,” Zev groaned loudly.

“You must stay safe for my peace of mind,” Varic insisted. “And as for your blood, it is mine, yes, but were it ever taken from you without your consent, you have to know that I would never blame you for that, and my wrath would be solely focused on those who did you harm and violated your trust.”

Gently, Zev sat Cirillo up, moving him so my knee was no longer pinned under him.

As soon as I could, I turned my whole body into Varic and wrapped my arms around him tight. “I knew you wouldn’t hate me if I hadn’t been able to keep Ødger off me.”

“Never,” he whispered even as he clutched me to his chest.

ELEVEN

Once we came up the stairs and were back where we started, in the throne room, I was surprised at the sheer number of people Varic had brought with him, and more than that, at who was there: Alrek, exactly who I thought should be, as well as Kaan, Messina’s kenningar, and, unfortunately, the queen, whom I was terrified of being there. I had promised Decimus he would never see Isabella again, and yet there she was, right out of my worst nightmare, in the only place on earth where he could get to her. Where she could be killed. I bolted across the floor to her, and she caught me in her arms.

“We need to get you out of here,” I told her, feeling the panic rising in me. There was a pounding deep in my chest that told me to run. “Decimus wants to kill you.”

“Yes, I know,” she agreed, her voice as soothing as always. “I told you that, remember? It’s because of Leda. Now, is there any way at all to get you a hot bath, because you smell…interesting.”

“My queen,” Keres said from beside me, on the floor at her feet.

“Oh, you’re wearing my gift,” Isabella gasped, delighted. Keres rose, and the two women clasped hands. “I’m so pleased you brought the skirt with you.”

“It’s an inspired article of clothing,” she said, swishing the skirt that brushed the floor back and forth so all the things gathered deep in the lining tinkled together. “I will never travel without it.”

I looked from the queen to Keres and back again. “You set me up.”

Isabella smiled. “Only a bit.”

I needed to focus, but my brain was so scattered from lack of sleep and the drug still filtering through my system. “You wanted Keres taken from Gaius,” I said to Isabella, “but he would never grant her to you, only to the king.”

“Yes, and only if Messina were to increase his stipend from whatever ridiculous amount it was to the GDP of a small country,” she chuckled, waggling her brows at me. She was so pleased with herself.