Page 38 of Bleeding for the Prince
“I did as I was instructed. I listed what might be needed and then ascertained what would actually be required.”
Hyax hadn’t expected the clapback. Opali was a senior tutor, a member of the royal staff, and not someone who should be arguing with a prince. “You have overstepped, yet you don’t seem in the slightest perturbed that you are being questioned about doing so.”
Opali looked confused. “I don’t understand how I have overstepped. The topics were all in line with what I presented and the direction Queen Talia gave, in addition to those we had discussed.”
“Queen Talia gave you direction on what Gwil would need on etiquette?” Why would his mother be bothered? She had no interest apart from ticking a box to support royal protocol.
“Yes, sire. I assumed there were areas she would want covered from her perspective to ensure Mr Hilt wouldn’t be blindsided during a conversation.” He summoned what Hyaxassumed were his notes, which he scanned before continuing. “Yes, the history of the royal family, succession and outside commitments were all requested.”
Hyax should have realised that Opali wouldn’t have been working in a manner to undermine him or the crown. He’d been trusted by his sister to sort out her harem and had been recommended to help Gwil. That was not something to be entrusted to a potential threat or usurper.
“Right, what else did you tell him?” They hadn’t spoken about the content of the session, mainly because Gwil had tried on his new suit and Hyax couldn’t think of anything other than peeling it off and fucking the sense out of him.
“I went through the family tree, nothing so exciting, and the story behind the Prince’s Beloved. The reasoning behind the importance of the title wasn’t clear to him, but I think he understood after.”
Hyax didn’t think that from what Opali had described, there was anything so erroneous to have made Gwil jump to the conclusion that Hyax was treating Gwil favourably to prove he wasn’t settling. “How did he react?”
“The reason I’d decided to explain about the origins of the Prince’s Beloved was because he had made a couple of comments regarding his own importance, and once I was done, I think he was receptive to the idea he was not considered a side piece by others.”
“He is not a side piece. He never has been.”
Opali’s wings shuddered. “If I may speak candidly, Your Highness.”
“Go on.”
“I don’t doubt you care deeply for him, but the vampire ways are different to the fae, and it will take time for him to accept that he is not your husband. You are married to another, and whileto the fae the Prince’s Beloved is as important as any spouse, the vampires do not think in the same way.”
He’d known that to some degree, but had thought Gwil had accepted the situation. Especially as his marriage to Metra was temporary, and there was no real relationship. Running into Metra and talking about another ex must have triggered additional overthinking. They’d not discussed Getil, and instead of a conversation, Gwil had thrown out an accusation and Hyax had stropped off. They were both twats.
“You’re right about the vampires. I should have been cognizant of underlying emotions, but I have also said I wanted to bond with him.”
“Again, that is not something vampires understand. The act of bonding to someone is not something they do.”
There was one couple he knew of, and Simon had already extended an invitation which Hyax was now even keener to capitalise on. “But a bonding will have a ceremony. I’ll stand up and claim Gwil as mine, which is what I believe is missing. The Prince’s Beloved title was conferred, but there was no great occasion, and that’s the point of a wedding.”
“A fae bonding is not a vampire wedding,” Opali said. Hyax had to admire his stance; it took balls not to capitulate to a prince.
Hyax still had to get to the bottom of why his mother had got involved in Gwil’s etiquette training. Part of him wanted to believe it was her trying to be helpful in how Gwil could adapt to his new position, but somehow he doubted that was all she was doing.
He sent Opali away with the instruction that he would require a written debrief of the topics discussed during Gwil’s etiquette lessons, and Opali was obviously relieved to be dismissed. If he was being the bigger person, he should go home and talk to Gwil, but he was still sore over what Gwil had saidand needed a bit more time to figure out the best way to address the comments and what lay underneath. What he could do was speak to his mother. As far as he was aware, she wasn’t at an event and, while he might be disturbing her evening reflections, he felt it necessary to try to answer some of the questions that had bubbled up while speaking to Opali.
He made his way to his parents’ private rooms. His mother seemed to be beating his father at chess, which had become a bit of an obsession after they had received a chess set as a gift a few years back. Talia looked up after placing her pawn. “Hyax, I wasn’t aware you were home.”
“An unplanned visit. I wondered if you might have a few minutes. It’s about Gwil.”
Ryol stretched. “I have some papers to read over for tomorrow, so I’ll leave you to it.”
Hyax had thought about talking to his father, but for now, it was his mother’s input he needed. Ryol had been a constant when his mother had been busy with her royal duties, but he couldn’t help him here.
“Thank you. Maybe once we’re done, you’ll be available for a game of Ti-To-Ti?” A fae board game he’d loved as a child and still held a place in his heart.
“Whenever you’re ready, Hyax. I’ll be in my private sitting room.”
His mother motioned for him to take the seat Ryol had vacated. “What is troubling you, Hyax? I thought you were attending young Cassie’s gallery opening this evening.”
“I did, and I ran into Metra. It wasn’t a pleasant or polite exchange, but we have now agreed to share our social calendars to be aware if we are planning to attend the same event separately.”
“I take it that he didn’t like seeing you with Gwil.”
