Page 114 of Lake of Sorrow

“He stole my honey; I didn’t suborn him.”

“I know.” Vlerion kissed her on the neck. “It was childish of me to lose my temper over that.”

She leaned her head back against his shoulder, inviting more kisses if he wished.

He eyed her neck but didn’t lower his lips again. “I worry that this will end badly,” he said softly. “When I’m with you, it’s extremely hard for me to resist temptation. When I’m not with you… you’re filling my thoughts and making me want nothing more than to find you.” His voice lowered, almost a growl as he added, “And take you.”

That should have scared her, but it flushed her with heat, making her wish he could take her.

Vlerion pulled his gaze from her neck as if it were physically difficult and looked toward the trees they were riding through.

“I don’t trust myself with you,” he added, “but I can’t stay away.”

She wished she could make light of the dilemma and promise that nothing would happen, but she was struggling with the same thing. Drawn by their mutual desire—their mutual lust—how close had they come to rousing the beast? They’d almost done it in that park with innocent people dangerously close.

“What should I do?” Kaylina asked, though she worried he would say she should stay away from him and he her.

“I don’t know. Our fates are intertwined. I’ll have to… be stronger than temptation.” Doubt lurked in his eyes.

“You can do it. I’ll work on it too.” She straightened, shifting away from him.

His frown implied he didn’t think that would be enough.

Kaylina groped for a way to change the topic. Maybe back to what they’d been discussing before?

“You’re a more reasonable and fair man than I originally realized. I wonder… Would the Virts be so set on overthrowing the monarchy if your family were still on the throne? I guess you’d be king, since your father and older brother passed.”

“That is a duty I’m ill-qualified for and would not want. I prefer the wilderness to the city and protecting my people with my sword and taybarri, not pens and speeches.”

“But if your great-great-grandfather hadn’t been cursed and abdicated, isn’t it a duty that would have fallen to you? That you would have been compelled to accept?”

“My older brother would have been compelled to accept it. If not for the curse, he would be alive.” Vlerion stared glumly toward the forest around them. They’d climbed higher in elevation again, and snow lay mounded under the trees. The tireless Levitke was carrying them ever deeper into the mountains, where winter hadn’t yet relinquished its grasp. “Vlarek probably would have been a good leader, a good king. He was better at keeping his temper than I and had the soul of a poet and a bard. He would have seen the world from both sides and perhaps found a way to appease nobles and commoners alike.”

“Your mother said you have some of that temperament as well. You have a violin in your room, after all.”

Isla had also said Kaylina should avoid Vlerion and not ask him to play for her. Unfortunately. Kaylina knew she would enjoy the experience. She wagered Vlerion’s face would be peaceful and calm as he ran the bow over the strings, soothed by his music.

“A sure sign that I’d be a good ruler,” he said dryly.

“Maybe not, but if you were ousted from power, you could dance and play on street corners and make coin.”

“Ousted from power.” Vlerion snorted. “There will never be any power for me, curse or not. The Virts want a new system of government, one in which commoners run things. They don’t want a new king.”

“I can’t help but think there must be a way that both sides could come together without all this killing. With other threats to the kingdom, it’s foolish for people to squabble amongst themselves.” Kaylina waved toward the north to indicate the Kar’ruk.

“It is beyond me to solve that problem. All I can do is fight the battles that our leaders assign me.”

“Too bad. The current leaders are iffy.”

“That’s your educated and informed opinion after a month in the capital?” He smiled faintly.

“It’s an opinion. I won’t say it’s educated, but I haven’t met many people in charge of things here who are… decent.”

Vlerion sighed. “The last ten years or so have been fraught. It’s a challenging time for decency.”

“Some people carry it with them in all times.”

“That is true. You’re wise for a mead maker.” He patted her thigh, letting his hand settle there, but only for a moment before he pulled it back with a grimace.

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