Page 85 of Under the Lion Star

The man groaned, attempting to roll onto his side. His wrists and ankles were bound, and even in the darkness, I could see the bruise blooming across the side of his face.

Not a corpse, then.

“Neither of you thought for a second, ‘Maybe I should keep one alive for information,’ seriously?” Liras aimed a pointed glare at Orin and me, the light from the torches in the hall flickering over his annoyed expression.

“Orin killed them both,” I protested.

My brother only shrugged, then proceeded to use the corner of my bed sheets to clean off his blade. He looked the dagger over, gave it an appreciative nod, and sheathed it at his belt.

“At least they’re elves,” I muttered, pressing on my temples with my fingertips.

“Look at Leor,” Liras grinned wryly. “Finding the silver lining. Sanna is rubbing off on you.”

Orin laughed but cut himself off and gave me an apologetic smile.

“Well, this is certainly a new approach. One I prefer to poison if I’m honest,” I stood from the bed. “You ask this one anything yet?”

“Nah,” Liras shook his head. “He’s only recently regained consciousness.”

“You think the shopkeeper said something?” Orin asked his friend.

“Shopkeeper?” I asked.

The two of them shared a sheepish look. Orin turned his head to look out the window while Liras pulled in a deep breath.

“Zialda took us with her to ask some questions about that last poison.”

“And you didn’t think to inform me beforehand?” I growled. “You involved my wife in your investigation?”

“It was her idea,” Liras shrugged. “She knows more about that shit than we do.”

“You could have put her in danger,” I seethed.

“Well, it was just going to be to her aunt’s house,” Orin countered. “Seemed safe enough. But then she wanted to make a stop on our way back into the city.”

“You put a target on her!”

“Brother,” Orin sighed, setting his hand on my shoulder. “If someone wants you dead, she already has a bounty on her head. You’ve done basically nothing to hide your feelings for her.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Leor,” Liras groaned. “You get this stupid fucking look on your face whenever you see her. You think other people wouldn’t notice that? That their perpetually scowling king has suddenly lit up the moment Zialda enters a room?”

“Fuck,” I ran my fingers through my hair.

I shouldn’t have married her. I knew it before the wedding. Even before she agreed. It was obvious where my feelings for her were heading. It was inevitable. We were inevitable. I had someone actively trying to kill me and yet pulled in the one woman who mattered to me and dropped her into the pit of vipers.

But the thought of not attaching her to me in some way was unbearable. Let alone having to continue to play the friend as she found some other fucking moron to sweep her off her feet.

My selfishness had put her in harm's way, and I wasn’t careful enough about how I acted around her in front of the council. I should have known better. I should have been better. That’s what it was to be king, to consider how every action, no matter how small, could impact the realm, my family, and my wife.

I knelt next to the assassin that Liras had kept alive, spearing my fingers into his scalp and pulling the hair taunt so he had no choice but to face me.

“Who sent you?”

“Fuck off,” he spat at my feet.

“Well,” I stood, holding my hands out at my sides. “I’ve tried everything I can think of. Why don’t you two have a crack at him.”

---