Page 47 of The Empty Throne

Pushing to his feet, Cohea stood formally atattention. "His Majesty the King, before his death, entrusted to methe identity of his son and heir, and the hopes and ambitions hehad for that son. Bittersea will by now have in hand the formalpapers I hid at my home and is on his way here with them, but foryour ears only, Acting Regent, I give you the identity of themissing heir to the throne: Lord Sobeki Myre, son of King Wendethof Cremisio and Lady Ralidya Skye, Duchess of Remardane, noble ofKenten." He sighed. "I'm sorry."

Sobeki stared wide-eyed, the silencestretching on for seconds that felt like hours. His hands shook ashe took a sip of tea before he finally said, "You can't be serious.Me?"

"You. His Majesty wanted to speak with yousoon, but… well, plans went astray. Badly astray, obviously."

Sobeki gave a sour, shaky laugh. "What doesall this have to do with Oskia?"

"There are plans that His Majesty tentativelymade regarding an alliance between Cremisio and Kenten. The kind ofalliance Cremisio has avoided its entire existence. The late LadyPakier was deeply opposed to the matter. She considered it abetrayal, a way for Kenten to overrun us. I wasn't meant to know ofthem, and I don't know much at all, but I found out when Ioverheard part of another conversation."

The color drained from Sobeki's face. "Youcan't be saying what I think you're saying."

"I have no proof, not yet, but I would stillput my entire fortune on it: Lady Pakier was responsible for theassassination of the royal family."

"Fuck," Sobeki said sharply, before restinghis forehead in his hands and staring at the table, fingers buriedin his hair. "This situation just went from complicated to agods-damned nightmare.AndTerek is marching on us. I mustdeal with that problem first. Everything else will just have towait." Another laugh, sad and tired. "Including Oskia probablyplanning on killing me. She's always shared her mother's views, andshe said there was unfinished business. I can only assume thatbusiness was go to Kenten, learn from them who the heir is, andkill them. Kill me." He stood up, setting his shoulders, maskfalling over his face. "Go get some rest, Cohea. Don't argue withme. I'm going to need your help with the influx of people from thevillages and towns being evacuated. Hopefully evacuated. Whycouldn't they fucking wait until spring to do this? No, they had topick the dead of Endless Night."

Cohea stepped in and hugged him tightly."We'll get through this, and if I have to sit on Oskia until shesees reason, I will do so. She's always had a soft spot for you, sodon't worry too much."

"Don't worry too much, he says, like I didn'tjust find out my father was thekingand my mother is apowerful duchess of a tentative ally and the love of my lifeintends to assassinate me. Go away, Cohea, before I dump the lastof the tea on your head."

Cohea laughed, hugged him again, then tookthe plate of ridiculous sandwiches with him, eating as he walkedthrough the halls to his chambers.

He hadn't seen the rooms in weeks, possiblymonths. He was rarely in the palace for longer than it took todeliver one thing, retrieve another, and be off again. The lasttime he'd been here for any length of time had been in theaftermath of the storm named Jethue Bittersea.

Who'd appeared at the Lindquist estate on theheels of a sudden storm, all but drowned, with a leg broken inthree places, and thoroughly pissed off about it. They'd beentrapped by a storm that had raged for days, and flooding that hadlasted days more, leaving them trapped for just over a week.

A week of reckless, intoxicating delight. Aweek of falling entirely too enamored of a complicated,bloodthirsty man who would be just as happy to burn the world downas continue existing in it. Who had killed Cohea's caretaker andoldest friend right in front of him. Revealed the woman to be anEverian traitor.

And that the king himself had hired Bitterseato take her out.

Cohea set the empty plate on a table, thenwent to sit on the sofa by the windows. A luxury, glass windowslike this, in a place where heat could not afford to be wasted soindulgently. It was thick glass, two layers of it rather than one,keeping heat in better than most, but at a price precious few couldafford.

The sofa still smelled ever so faintly ofBittersea's cologne, so very much like his name, with a sweetundertone that made the bitter notes work. He rarely wore it,preferring to draw as little attention as possible, but when hedid, it turned Cohea ravenous and greedy.

Like he had the last time they'd been in thisroom. On this sofa, where he'd bound Bittersea's arms and forcedhis legs to remain splayed before doing and taking every last thinghe wanted. Left Bittersea sweaty and bruised and covered in come.Pleading so sweetly in that way he only did for Cohea, because forsome strange reason, Bittersea liked all the dark fantasies Coheaspun and acted out on him.

They were a strange and complicated pair, nomistake. Bittersea was everything Cohea should hate, but instead heloved the bastard more than anyone else in the world. The ring onhis finger was proof of that.

Cohea grabbed Bittersea's chin between thumband finger and yanked him roughly forward before kissing him hardand biting. Drawing back, licking blood from Bittersea's lips, hesaid, "You were gone when I woke up."

"I had matters to attend, Your Grace. Can'twait around for you to feel like waking up."

"As long as you understand I'll be punishingyou for it tonight."

Bittersea didn't reply, but his dark blueeyes were nearly black, endless pools of dark that Cohea had losthimself in weeks ago.

Only weeks, but it felt more like months.Years.

Cohea slid his arms around Bittersea's waistand kissed him more gently, mindful of his split, slightly swollenbottom lip. As ever, he tasted shockingly sweet and faintly of theblood that was Cohea's fault. Bittersea didn't cling to him inturn, simply rested his hands lightly on Cohea's arms, but neitherof them needed him to cling. Bittersea was right where he wanted tobe, a snake strangely content to play the mouse to Cohea's fox.

"What in the name—"

Bittersea drew back with a noise that wouldalarm most people, but Wendeth only continued to scowl at them."When you said you two wanted to speak with me, Cohea, I thought itwas about… well, what I had him do. I didn't expect to see youfondling each other in my private solar."

"Kissing isn't fondling," Cohea said, rareannoyance sparking. "I'm allowed to kiss my lover, especially whenwe've been waiting more than an hour. Your Majesty."

Wendeth huffed and took his seat,practically throwing himself into it, as though to somehow spitethem. Behind him came Sobeki, somber and studious looking as ever.Odd choice for assistant or witness or whatever reason Wendeth hadbrought him along, but it wasn't Cohea's concern. "What did youwant to discuss, Lindquist?"

"I wanted to thank you. You knew Tashianawas never what she claimed, what I thought. Ordering her killed,knowing it would deeply upset me, could not have been easy."

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