Page 37 of Bleeding for the Prince
As far as Gwil was concerned, there had been nothing he’d seen this evening he’d willingly share his living space with, but now wasn’t the time to comment. Hyax hustled him away, no doubt before he could say something that might cause an incident. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to learn to read the room. You’re my Beloved; your opinion could make or break a fae’s career,” Hyax said as they left through a portal.
Gwil scoffed as they entered their living room. “No one gives a flying fuck whether I like their pictures or not.”
“No one might care what the vampire Gwilym Hilt might think, but as Prince Hyax’s Beloved, whether you believe it or not, you could be quite influential.”
“I didn’t sign up for that.” The idea was ridiculous. “I’d understand if they wanted advice on how to find a missing person, or the best cat toys, but I’d be woefully underqualified to give an opinion on most things.”
“Opinions are like arseholes, Gwil. Everyone has one, and often they’re full of shit.”
Hyax had reverted to being snarky, and Gwil wasn’t in the mood. “Look, I get the Prince’s Beloved thing, Opali told me the origins, but I’d be far more important if I were a fae. I’m still pretty decent, but the vampire takes the edges off even if I’m now a better class of vamp from when we first got together.”
“What will it take to convince you? You’ve seen how you’re treated at my mother’s court, you’re being given special lessons, access to my tailor, and sooner than later you’ll be my bonded.”
“I’m convinced, you don’t need to go on.” He shrugged off his coat. “My question to you is, are you? Are you doing all this seemingly for me, but it’s really about you proving to yourself you didn’t settle? That you’re happy with how things turned out?”
Hyax frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I was told you were originally slated to marry a princess of the Hellanix tribe, who would be the future queen, meaning you’d have been king. I bet that had to take some adjusting to.”
“Are you deliberately stirring up shit to make issues? It was four hundred years ago, I was eighteen when my betrothed died, for a fae, I was still considered an infant.” He opened a portal. “You’re bang out of order. I’ve had countless lovers and partners before I met you, and I’ve never thought of myself as settling, not with them, and not when we made things official.”
“I’m just trying to make sense of what I learnt. You’ve not answered my question.”
“Because you’re being an idiot.”
Then he was gone. Part of Gwil felt he’d been a bit of an arse, but he also believed Hyax had overreacted and should’ve stayed to talk things out. Gwil was left still not knowing if he’d hit a nerve because he was right, or if Hyax was truly insulted. He’d leave him a few hours before he contacted him, maybe take Penelope up on the drink she’d been threatening and then talk to Hyax when they were both calmer.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Hyax stormed through the palace. He’d not concentrated well enough when he opened the portal, so had arrived in an outside courtyard. Gwil’s words roared through his ears. They’d steered away from discussing the past; they were both too old to pick over the bones of centuries’ worth of ex-lovers, but this felt different. Gwil had thrown out the accusation, not born of Gwil’s jealousy, but asking if Hyax was overcompensating when it came to their relationship because of something in his past, something Gwil shouldn’t have even known about. Hyax hadn’t even thought it relevant to mention. The arrangement had died with Getil, and along with it, his tribe’s practice of betrothing royal babies at birth. While the whole future king topic had come up occasionally, especially during sibling squabbles, it wasn’t important or reflected how he felt about his future.
Gwil had put up with a lot, and that was more than just the situation with Metra, and Hyax knew he was coming from a place of insecurity and being a bit of a twat. He loved Gwil; in no way thought he was an unworthy partner, but somehow he could never convince him otherwise. Maybe if they hadn’t met Metra at the gallery, or Cassie hadn’t mentioned her brother, he’d havehandled this better. He was fucking angry, but he wasn’t sure if it was at Gwil or the underlying situation.
One additional annoyance was figuring out who had told Gwil about his failed path to a fae throne. Without knowing the culprit, it would be difficult to ascertain the intent behind their doing so. At this point, he could only think it was done to deliberately wind up Gwil.
His history was public record, but not in places where Gwil would stumble across the details. There were books in the palace library, and even minutes from court proceedings, but they were kept in the fae royal library, not exactly hidden but out of harm’s way. It dawned on him as he entered the sitting area to his rooms that there was someone who’d be talking to Gwil and would have had the opportunity to have told him.
He clicked his fingers, and a servant summoning sphere appeared.
“Have Opali attend me immediately.”
He didn’t have to wait long before there was a knock on the door. “Enter,” he called.
Opali let himself in. “You requested my presence, Your Highness.”
“Indeed I did. I want to know what you’ve been covering in your little etiquette lessons. Because I did not expect my Beloved to start questioning me about ancient history.”
Opali bit his bottom lip. “I did inform Mr Hilt of the origins of his title. I thought it a nice gesture, as I didn’t think he truly appreciated how important the Prince’s Beloved is seen in our society.”
“I don’t have an issue with you telling him that, but I believe you also told him about something more personal, a fact that is no longer relevant but could be perceived to be.” He glowered at Opali. “Why do you mention my original birth matrimonial arrangement?”
“In my defence, I was not aware he didn’t know, and it came up in the context of him being able to judge certain situations, such as dealing with the members of the royal family, especially around you and your older brother.”
“I don’t see that to be a starting point for someone’s etiquette lessons. A little advanced for a first offering, don’t you think?”
He made a quiet humming noise before he spoke. “Mr Hilt does not need etiquette lessons. He is a man of great experience, and more than capable of manoeuvring diplomatically at the fae court. I am aware of the bonding requirement, but I believe he already meets it, so I felt it somewhat insulting to train a man who could be spending his time more profitably.”
He didn’t disagree, but at the same time, Opali was meant to follow the directions he’d been given. “You presented a detailed curriculum and scheduled the time, but you diverged without confirming that was acceptable.”
