Hi! Sorry, I was busy and very lazy so I didn't write much. I'll try to write more, I promise.
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-Alexander-
"Princess Catherina, I am delighted to see you again, my dear. How is the king?" the regent said as he smiled and crossed to her. Time stilled — whispers died, the music thinned.
I shouldn't have been surprised. A marriage to one of his old rivals would buy him a few years of peace — but not like this. Not with this girl. Princess Catherina moved down the stairs with the serene confidence of someone who'd been promised everything. She'd never set foot outside her small kingdom; her father was king only in name. Whatever this old fox had offered her, it wasn't charity.
I curved my smile and did the thing the court loved. "Princess Catherina, you are far more beautiful than your portrait. I'm honored." I bowed, kissed the gloved fingers. She fanned her nonexistent breasts and flushed; the regent smirked. I swallowed the bitter taste and let the music pull me back into the dance of fools.
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I stormed into my mansion afterward. The domestics knew better than to be in my way, but I couldn't care. "The bottle of bourbon. Now!" A young maid ran to fetch my beverage.
I tossed my coat aside and sat hard on the sofa. The maid returned with a bottle and a glass. I took it without looking, uncorked it with two savage pulls and swallowed half the glass at once. The taste was never good, but the effect was the interesting part. The rage subsided.
"Your Highness." Lorel appeared with his customary bow. My heart jerked; heat climbed my neck. I flung the tumbler at the window. It shattered in a sharp, angry peal. Caught off guard, Lorel started to sweat.
"Why did no one tell me?" I snapped. "What did our spies miss, Lorel?" I ran both hands through my hair to stop them from shaking.
He bowed deeper. "No one knew, sir. It seems they were watched — he knew he was being followed." The words landed like a slap. He had always known. Someone had kept quiet.
I leaned over the bottle. "Replace them. All of them — domestics, spies. Bribe whoever will keep secrets; dismiss or make the rest disappear. I'll take care of the officials myself." I poured another drink. "Find out what Catherina was promised. If she's a threat, I want to know now."
"Contact Allcar," I ordered. "And find where the hell the knight went."
His face went pale. "Sir Hassan is in a brothel, Your Highness."
The bottle sailed for the wall. "Excuse me?!" My voice cut the room raw enough that the house held its breath. "Fetch him. Lock him in a cell. Now."
Errol opened his mouth to argue; I stepped forward so close he could feel my breath. "Do as I order, Errol, or you'll be the next man in that cell." His protest died. He left, clutching paperwork like a shield.
I turned back to Lorel. "And the 'cat' — bring him here. I'll have my fun with him to ease my anger."
He bowed lower. "Yes, Your Highness."
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-Hassan-
I woke to the screaming of Lady Fan and men. Furniture was being thrown about; the girls were screaming in panic. My eyes fought to open as a violent headache pounded in my temple.
"Get up, big man. Time to go home." I felt two strong arms on my shoulders, lifting me from the bed. They forced me to my knees. What the hell is going on?
"What are you doing to him? Do you know who he is?!" I heard Rashia scream. My eyes finally opened to the scene of chaos.
"Who are you? Let me be!" I struggled in their hold, still sleepy and hungover.
"Yes, we know who he is, little whore — and he owes us tons of money," said an older man as he entered. I looked at him, confused; I wasn't that type of man — they must have made a mistake.
He slowly walked toward me and dropped to one knee to meet my level.
"If I were you, young squire, I'd keep my mouth shut. It was your husband who sent me here at five in the morning — to find his unfaithful, drunken alpha. I'm in a very bad mood, so if you want to avoid further humiliation, keep your head down and your mouth closed. You'll follow us to the car; His Highness is waiting."
I nodded slowly and followed them outside without complaint. What the hell was wrong with this stupid prince? He torned my reputation apart.
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