Page 87 of The Prince's Curse

Haldric licked his lips. “I am.”

Benjin raised a hand, gently cupping Haldric’s face. He started to lean in, then hesitated as harsh reality set in. “What about Katalin? I won’t be your dirty secret.”

“She knows. In fact, this was her idea.”

Benjin’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

Haldric nodded, his cheeks flaring red. “She is remarkably perceptive. She realized what I needed even when I was too stubborn to admit it.”

Benjin tensed, scarcely daring to believe his ears. “But the alliance? During the Summit, she said—”

“The alliance stands,” Haldric said firmly. “All that has changed are the specifics. Even if it takes a bit longer to secure, alliances need not be forged in blood, and we both still have much to gain from the arrangement. My heart, however, belongs to another.”

The king’s hands wrapped around Benjin’s waist, tugging him flush against him.

Benjin’s heart soared, his breath catching. A wide grin split his face. “Oh, really? And who might that be?”

Haldric smirked before tugging Benjin into a fierce kiss. Benjin soon lost himself to the scrape of Haldric’s stubble, the press of his lips, the warmth of his chest.

When they parted, Benjin gave Haldric a dazed smirk. “Does this make me queen? Or co-king?”

Haldric rolled his eyes, shoving Benjin playfully. “We’ll cross that bridge once we reach it. For now, I believe the official term would be ‘royal consort,’ but we’ll stick with Grand Magus…assuming you accept my offer.”

Benjin leaned in and stole another quick kiss that sent a ripple of pleasurable heat through him. “Mmm, with these kinds of perks, how could I refuse?”

Haldric bit his bottom lip, suddenly seeming uncertain. “Are you sure this is what you really want, Benjin? I may have won this round against Westley, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make more ploys on my life or the lives of those I care about. Not to mention the knife’s edge our kingdom still treads along. Staying here close to me will put you at risk.”

Benjin clasped Haldric’s hand, entwining their fingers. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” He couldn’t help another playful grin, cocking a brow. “So long as you promise not to get me cursed again.”

Haldric chuckled, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “Deal.”

Epilogue

Haldric

Haldric awoke in thecottage’s tiny bedroom and stretched, still half-asleep with the memory of a beautiful dream. He reached for Benjin beside him, frowning when his fingers found nothing but empty sheets.

Strange—Benjin never rose before he did.

The smell of cooking breakfast wafted in from outside, answering the mystery. Haldric sniffed, his eyes widening. Or, more specifically, the smell ofburningbreakfast.

Hurriedly tugging on a pair of breeches, he stumbled shirtless out of the bedroom into the tiny living area. “Benjin! Are you all right?”

He found Benjin cursing over the stove. Azure runeflame enveloped him as he attempted to maintain several cantrips at once to levitate plates and pans, work a knife, and heat the stove.

Haldric shook his head and gave a fond sigh. “You couldn’t just do it the old-fashioned way?” he asked, unable to hide his amusement.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Benjin snapped. He suppressed a growing flame beneath a sizzling pan, then let out another string of curses when a hovering plate transformed into a bird and began flapping about the room.

Biting his lip to hold back his laughter, Haldric strode to the window and shoved it open, allowing the frantic bird to escape. He turned back to Benjin and raised an eyebrow. “Thefunis that you get to actually eat the food, love.”

“Haha,” Benjin deadpanned. He kept up his efforts a few moments longer before sighing and letting the plates settle about him. The stove fire snuffed out with awhooshas he bowed his head, defeated. “Sorry for waking you. I just wanted to surprise you with a nice breakfast in bed.”

Haldric wrapped his arms around Benjin, cradling him against his chest. “Oh, I’m surprised all right.” Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to Benjin’s scruffy cheek. “Now here, let me do it.”

“You’re the boss,” Benjin grumbled good-naturedly.

Relinquishing his spot in front of the stove, he settled onto a stool by the table while Haldric got things going again, this time without the use of any runeflame. Well, okay—withminimalruneflame.

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