Page 66 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
A smile warmed Kitsuki’s regal features. “Well said.”
Maseo looked away, uncomfortable with the praise. “It’s the truth.”
“Truth is often beautiful, especially when it comes from someone who has had so little opportunity to speak it.”
The understanding in the king’s voice touched something deep within Maseo, a place that had been cold and empty for so long he had forgotten it existed.
“I worry about you,” Kitsuki admitted, his formal mask slipping. “The thought of you facing your father alone…” He trailed off, his hand moving to his chest.
Maseo’s breath caught. Was the king touching the wish pendant he had given him? The possibility that Kitsuki might treasure it sent warmth flooding through his veins. “I will do everything in my power to survive. I have too much to live for now.”
“Please know that regardless of your lineage or your past, you have earned your place here. Not through blood or birth, but through your actions, your loyalty, your courage.”
The words wrapped around Maseo’s heart like a warm embrace. He wanted to say more, to confess the feelings that grew stronger every day for Kitsuki and Auslin despite his best efforts to suppress them. But he was a half-blood bastard, and they were a mated royal couple. Some truths were too dangerous to speak aloud.
Maseo bowed his head. “Your belief in me means more than I can express.”
Kitsuki’s eyes seemed to burn with inner fire. “It is not mere belief, Maseo. It is knowledge. I have seen what you are capable of and what you have endured. You will face your father, and you will prevail.”
The fierce certainty in those words made Maseo’s pulse quicken as the careful distance between king and subject seemed to dissolve, leaving only two people who cared about each other’s welfare.
Maseo began to speak but stopped. What could he say? That he was falling in love with men he could never have? That every kindness Kitsuki showed him made his impossible feelings grow stronger?
“Yes?” Kitsuki prompted.
“I won’t let you down.”
“Of that, I am sure.” Kitsuki’s voice carried absolute conviction. “But remember what I told you before. Your survival matters more than vengeance. More than victory.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to come home.”
Home. The word still felt strange on his tongue, a concept he was only beginning to understand.
“Good.” Kitsuki’s relief was palpable. “I will hold you to that promise.”
They sat in comfortable silence, the weight of unspoken emotions settling between them. Maseo knew he should leave, should return to his tent and prepare for the morning, but being with Kitsuki was a gift he was reluctant to surrender.
Jaega entering the tent interrupted them. “Forgive the interruption, Your Majesty. The final scout reports have arrived.”
Kitsuki straightened. “Very good. Let us review them.”
Maseo stood, recognizing his dismissal. “I will return to my tent.”
Jaega’s gaze fell on him, warm with approval. “I am glad to see you, Maseo. Your insights during today’s strategy meeting proved invaluable.”
“Thank you, sir,” Maseo replied, the praise still unfamiliar enough to make him uncomfortable.
“Get some rest. Tomorrow will test us all, but I have every confidence in your abilities.”
Kitsuki rose as well. “Jaega speaks for us both. Your knowledge of Kunushi’s defenses and your father’s tactics has already saved lives. Tomorrow, it may save many more.”
Maseo bowed in acknowledgment, touched by their faith in him. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint you.”
“You never have.”
Kitsuki’s words followed Maseo out of the tent, warming him against the cool night air. As he walked through the camp, observing the preparations for battle, Maseo felt a strange calm settle over him. Tomorrow, he would face his past, coming face-to-face with the warriors who had stood by while he suffered, perhaps even the father who had inflicted that suffering. It should have terrified him or filled him with dread.
Instead, it bolstered his resolve. Not only to survive, as he had always done, but to protect the future he glimpsed in Kitsuki’s words, in Jaega’s approval, in Auslin’s hope, and in the easy camaraderie of his fellow soldiers. A place where he belonged, where his life had value beyond the pain he could endure.
