Page 103 of Rise of a Fallen Man

Leafar faltered. Realizing he was still completely naked, he cupped his crotch with his hands and promptly retreated behind the bedroom door.

I placed my clothes over the back of the couch, then took the dress from the pile and shook it out.

“My highly esteemed ladies,” I announced, putting the dress on over my head. “The prince’s reputation is fully and irreparably tarnished. I hope he’s now sufficiently defiled for your liking, Your Grace.” I bowed my head to the Great Duchess while closing the front buttons of my dress.

I didn’t explicitly confirm the consummation, but I knew how my words would be taken in conjunction with both of us emerging naked from the dark bedroom. I owed this much to Leafar. No matter what, he was my responsibility. His aunt had to deliver the report of our marriage being valid to his mother, and they both had to leave him alone.

“Well...” The grand duchess moved her startled gaze from me to her nephew, who was peeking at us from behind the door.

The duchess clearly hesitated on how to proceed in this situation. Plenty of witnesses saw us naked, including the palace guards. It’d be foolish of her to insist Leafar remained untouched and pursue an annulment. It also would be impossible for his mother to bank on his pure reputation again and find another high-standing wife for the prince. Their best bet was to leave him in Rorrim, just like he wished.

The prince didn’t even need to lie. All he had to do to get what he wanted now was simply to keep quiet. And he did, not saying a word.

One of the guards stepped forward, tentatively gripping her crossbow.

“Your Highness? Do you need help?”

“Yes. Please send for Prince Leafar’s valet to help him get dressed and escort him to his bedroom. My prince needs his rest. He had a very,verybusy night.”

With the emphasis on that word, I glanced at Leafar, wondering if the trust we’d pledged to each other and broke could ever be restored.

Tossing the cloak over my shoulders, I left the room. With the hood low over my face, I headed to the east wing of the palace, where gladiators were staying for the night, including the guest of honor who’d been lauded as the one touched by magic still that morning, only to become a hunted fugitive now.

Chapter 26

Ari

Iran down the corridor on the lower floor of the east wing. The gladiators might be the guests at the palace, but their status placed them closer to the servants than to the highborn. As a result, their accommodation was also closer to the servants’ quarters, in a modest hallway with no windows.

The door down the corridor behind me opened, and I slowed my pace, trying to step as quietly as possible on the wooden floors.

“Your Highness?” the games master called.

Cursing under my breath, I turned to face her. “How did you know it was me?”

“I recognize your shoes.” She tipped her chin at my flat-sole slippers as she approached me. Her attention to detail proved even more acute than I thought. “You wore them when you came to our neck of the woods to look for Raeb the other day. Dare I assume you’re looking for the same gladiator again?”

“What if I were?” I asked carefully.

I could use her help to find Salas. My only other option was to knock on every door in the hallway in search of him.

“Then I would ask you what for?” she replied just as cautiously, drawing a long, colorful shawl around her shoulders.

The games master was an ambitious woman. Driven to succeed, she’d cut corners and stepped over heads when needed. But I hoped she cared about her gladiators more than just the means to her success.

I took a chance. “I’m afraid his life is in danger.”

She didn’t seem surprised to hear it. A hard expression set behind her dark eyes that peered at me intently.

“He deceived us all, didn’t he?”

There was more sadness than anger in her statement, which prompted me to ask, “Do you believe he deserves to be punished?”

She gave me a guarded look. “That’s the law, isn’t it?”

“Did the consideration of the law prompt you to betray him?” I prodded.

“I wasn’t the one who did it.”

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