Page 16 of To Bleed A Kingdom

“We're having a discussion, Aurora,” Danya hisses, jerking her hand from my thigh.

Exhausted with arguing for the day, I return my gaze forward and allow my sister to handle the annoying female while I swig from my drink.

“Go prey on someone else,”Aurora snaps. “He's not interested."

I hear a gasp, then the click of Danya’s heels as she retreats from the snarling princess.

“Why does she even come here? She opens her legs for anything with a pulse. Better suited to the brothel, if you ask me,” Aurora grumbles, seating herself on the stool beside me. “At least there she could be compensated for it.”

“Her father might take issue with that.”

Huffing, she waves down Mona. “Yet, I doubt he’d be surprised. I can't believe you fucked her.”

Blowing out an exasperated breath to the statement I've heard too many times to count, I groan, “It was one time, Rory.”

Rolling her eyes, she raises her newly acquired pint. “One time too many. I hope it was worth it.”

It wasn't.

Aware of the nobleman's daughter’s penchant to fuck anyone who could possibly raise her station, as the son of the Queen – legitimate or not – I knew to stay far away from the ambitious female. But one night after too many pints, I caved and took her to bed. I honestly recall very little of the night, but although she was pleasant to look at, what memories I did manage to retain were otherwise unremarkable and bland. My hand would have been a more enjoyable outlet and at least in that instance, I wouldn't have to endure her constant nagging for a repeat, and Aurora wouldn't feel the need to constantly remind me of my error in judgment.

The stool on the other side of mine scrapes across the floor before Griffin seats himself.

“The meeting?” he asks, never one to mince words.

Cursing internally, the words sit at the tip of my tongue, but I’m relieved from answering when a commotion catches our attention. Turning to face the disruption, I find a smiling Kace racing towards Aurora, his arms raised as if in embrace. “My love! How I've missed you so!”

Aurora cocks her head to the side, watching Kace with an almost placid expression. But once he reaches her and begins to wrap his arms around her shoulders, she slaps her palm to his face with a loud smack, curls her fingers around his head, and tosses him across the room. Kace screeches his displeasure amid his impromptu flight.

Sprawled atop splintered chairs and a flattened table, Kace’s face contorts into fury as the pub breaks out in laughter. “What was that for?!”

Aurora jolts out of her chair, pointing. “You've had your head between that female's tits the entire night.” She wrinkles her nose. “I don't want you slobbering on me with tit sweat all over your face!”

Kace dusts himself off and storms towards her. “She doesn't have tit sweat!”

Nose to nose, Aurora curls her lip. “I can smell it on you.”

Shaking my head at the strange duo, I curse Griffin, ever the mediator, when he shoves fresh tankards of ale to both their chests.

Never ones to waste a pint, they give each other one last parting glare before tabling their argument for another time.

“What happened at the meeting?” Griffin asks, returning to our earlier discussion.

“Oh!I heard all about that debacle,” Aurora chimes in, planting herself on the edge of the stool beside me.

“How would you have heard that?” I ask. She says nothing, but her single arched brow is answer enough. “Theon gossips too much.” Narrowing my eyes, I add, “You both do.”

“Well?” Kace asks, his blue-eyed gaze bouncing between me and Aurora.

“They’re not going to do anything,” I admit.

“Why the fuck not?”

Gritting my teeth, I attempt to stifle my anger as I recall the cowardice of the Kings Council. “I didn't provide enough evidence.”

Griffin scowls and Kace tosses his hands up, balking.

“Oh, yes,” Aurora says, fiddling with the wooden handle of her tankard. “Adelphia was quite displeased with you.” She sips from her pint, licking her lips as she lowers it. “Heard Mother dearest gave you quite the tongue lashing.”

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