Page 68 of Rise of a Fallen Man

Leafar was already there.

“Morning,” I said, taking the seat opposite from him.

“Good morning, Your Highness.” He fluffed a cuff of his frilled shirt. The sunlight sparkled in the diamonds and rubies of his new cufflinks.

On Mother’s suggestion, I bought the cufflinks and had them delivered to the prince’s rooms with a note of apology. I had a hard time finding the words to explain what exactly I was apologizing for. Kicking him out of my bedroom? Delaying the consummation? Marrying him while having feelings I shouldn’t have for another man?

As determined as I was to be honest with Leafar, I couldn’t tell him about Salas. With his secret past, Salas’s situation remained vulnerable, and his secrets were not mine to tell.

Writing the note and giving the cufflinks to Leafar did little to assuage my guilt, but Leafar seemed to enjoy his new jewelry. Stroking the precious stones fondly, he turned his wrist to make the sun play in the brilliant facets.

“Do you like the cufflinks?” I asked as the carriage moved.

He pouted, but far less sulkily than before.

“Yes. They’re lovely,” he said, demurely folding his hands in his lap. “Your apology was a move in the right direction. The next right step would’ve been visiting my bedroom last night.”

I hated the almost-forgotten feeling of hopelessness that spread inside me at his words. But even more, I hated that it was my own husband who made me feel this way. Though, I managed to stop short of hating him.

Leafar had done everything that was expected from him all his life. Understandably, he expected certain things to happen in return.

“The prized mare of Prince Elbon of Tresed Queendom had a male foal last week,” he said unexpectedly.

“Um... Congratulations?” I offered, unsure of how to react to that news.

“With the foul’s lineage, he’s expected to grow into the champion stallion of the world.”

“I suppose he is,” I humored him.

What did the mare and her baby have to do with anything right now?

“There is a line of buyers forming already, with the auction starting soon. Since I was forced to leave most of my horses back in Olakrez, I was wondering if Your Highness would be so kind as to put a bid in for me.” He tilted his head with a sweet smile on his lips. “It’d be a great way to start a new collection for me.”

I’d never bought a horse before. Acquiring them fell under Father’s responsibilities. Revlis had been my first and only horse, and even she came to the royal stables long before I started taking horseback riding lessons.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I replied uncertainly.

The smile slipped from the prince’s face, and I feared no amount of diamond cufflinks would put it back there anytime soon.

“My aunt is leaving two days after Queen Anna’s ball,” he said gravely. “The...um, consummation is arranged for the day after the ball.”

With a deep sigh, I ran a hand down my face. The grand duchess insisted on having her nephew fucked by his wife before she left. Publicly, if it had to be.

“I’ll talk to her,” I promised.

“Don’t...” Leafar leaned to me, grabbing my hand. “Please don’t aggravate her even more.”

“Well, I find it extremely aggravating that she keeps meddling in our marriage.”

“She... she cares about me. She wants our marriage to succeed, which I fear is not what you want, Your Highness.” He glared at me with an added emphasis in his voice.

“Why would you say that? Of course I care.”

“Do you? Really?” His voice rose even higher. “Ever since our wedding, you’ve been avoiding me and my bedroom.”

“That’s not true. I have invited you to spend time with me on many occasions.” I kept my voice and my temper down, mindful of the coachwoman in the front and the footwomen at the back of the carriage. They couldn’t see us, but they would hear the argument if we spoke loudly enough. The whispers about our marital troubles would spread through the palace before we’d even return to the palace.

“None of those occasions included an invitation to your bed,” Leafar snapped.

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