Page 117 of A Court Bright and Broken

“How do you know I haven’t been?” Stellon asked, continuing to spar with his father.

Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out what the king had meant when he’d referred to “sampling.”

Did he mean what Stellon and I had been doing before he’d interrupted—apparently just in time?

Had Stellon been drawing other women away from the daily social soirees he attended to private rooms where he did with them what he’d just done with me?

Wasthathow a princess was selected at this Assemblage thing?

Suddenly I felt blazing hot and thoroughly sober. I couldn’t be sure whether it was because the saol water had worn off or because my anger had burned through its intoxicating elements like a fire consuming alcoholic spirits.

“Because they’remyconcubines,” King Pontus said. “I’d know because I keep up with where they are—and whom they’re with—at all times.”

“I don’t have the option of selecting another bond-mate, as you well know. I have to settle for what little pleasure I can get these days,” he told his son, sounding bitter.

“I know, Father,” Stellon said. “I’ll be careful. I’ll be smarter about my… intimate affairs.”

“Good.” The king sounded satisfied by Stellon’s contrite words and tone.

“I am only looking out for you as your father and your regent,” he said. “You have not been acting like yourself sincethe night of the welcoming ball. I’m happy to share my human retinue with you, truly. Go and select a girl now, if you like—or more than one. It’ll take the edge off and make it more comfortable while you’re exposed to so many potential bridal candidates. That way when the end of the Assemblage comes, you can make a decision based on wisdom instead of lust and desperation.”

“Thank you, Father,” Stellon said. “Perhaps I will take advantage of your generous offer… another night. I really am fatigued tonight.”

There was a disgruntledhmphnoise from the king, but the sound of his footfalls moved farther from the bed. He was leaving. Thank the gods.

He must have stopped at the doorway, because his voice was still loud and clear.

“No more leaving these events early, Stellon. Youmustmake a choice. That means spending time doingmorethan testing your physical reactions to the candidates. In fact, that matters very little. If you end up with a bond-mate who doesn’t appeal to you in that way, you can form your own retinue and fill it with human girls who do. It’s your prerogative as the Crown Prince. Your wife, whoever she turns out to be, will say or do nothing to stop you.”

By the time the horrid man exited the room, I was seething. The rumors were true. Human girls were being taken against their will and forced to live in the castle as sex slaves for the king.

I wasn’t sure what Pontus had meant by that being his only remaining option, but I didn’t care.

And Iwassure the human women here were prisoners.

For one thing, no one in her right mind would want to “serve” the king in that manner. Stellon might be a different story, but it sickened me to even consider the possibility he’d take his father’s advice and avail himself of theirservices.

Would he?

When the dust ruffle lifted, and he reached a hand under the bed toward me, I had the strongest urge to slap it.

“It’s safe now. He’s gone. You can come out,” he said.

I reluctantly placed my hand in his so he could pull me out from my hiding place.

When he saw me, he smiled. “Oh no, you’re all dusty.”

He sounded in rather good humor. Maybe it was just relief that his “dirty little secret” hadn’t been revealed. Me.

I wasnotin a good mood, to say the least. There was no more doubt about where our king put human women in the pecking order of this world. At the very bottom.

And his son hadn’t contradicted him. That whole assassination idea wasn’t sounding too bad at the moment.

“This is what comes of disallowing the chambermaids to enter my room for too long,” Stellon said. “Sorry. Beneath the bed was the only place I could think to hide you with so little warning.”

He started to brush me off, and I lurched backward, pushing away from his touch.

“Do you really think I care about a little dust right now?”

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