That smirk then transitioned to something far more threatening as Cedric’s green eyes landed on me. “How dare you look at me so directly. Lower your eyes before I have them plucked from your skull.”
Stomach in knots, I looked at my now empty plate.
“Evan is my guest,” Sawyer said. “Please do not speak to him so cruelly.”
“Cruel?” Cedric snorted. “I was only joking.” I kept my gaze lowered but watched him move from the corner of my eye—move closer tome. He stood across from me and rested both hands on the table between us, leaning in. “You. Eyes up.”
I obeyed, doing all I could to keep my chin from shaking. I had been afraid when first meeting Lake in the forest, but the fear I felt while staring into Cedric’s green eyes was on another level.
“Your name is Evan, yes?”
“Yes, sir,” I responded, inwardly cringing. That wasn’t the correct way to address him, but it was too late to take it back now. I’d just found true happiness for the first time in my life. I didn’t want it ripped away so fast. And this dude screamed impulsive, murderous bastard. He’d probably slit my throat just for shits and giggles.
“Sir,” he repeated, that cold smirk returning to his mouth. “How adorable. I take it you are unfamiliar with addressing those of royal blood.” His gaze shifted to Sawyer before returning to me. “Or perhaps my darling brother has given you too much freedom in his presence. You will address me as Your Highness. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Excellent. I’m thrilled some commoners can be taught so easily.” He leaned closer and grabbed my jaw. I forced myself not to jerk away. “Unless I’m somehow mistaken and you aren’t a mere commoner? Do you have a title I’m unaware of?”
I pressed my lips together.Do not say Lord of the Muffins.This wasn’t Maddox. Even when my captain had shot ice daggers at me in the beginning, I had never felt any real threat from him. Which was why I’d rambled and said silly shit. Cedric would most definitely kill me for the “endearing”qualities Lupin claimed made my men fall for me.
“No, Your Highness,” I responded, though challengingly, seeing as to how he still had hold of my face, fingertips digging into my skin. “No rank or title. Just Evan.”
“Well,justEvan…” Cedric released my jaw and straightened back up. “You should feel honored to have met and spoken to the future king of Bremloc. Perhaps it will be a story to share with your commoner friends when drinking yourselves into a stupor or whatever it is you commoners do with your spare time.”
Was that really how he viewed the people he’d someday rule over? Disgusting.
“Not only my friends, Your Highness,” I said before I could bite my tongue. “I’m sure I’ll tell my grandkids about it someday. I even want it written on my grave. A lowly commoner such as myself will never know a greater honor.”
Cedric stepped around the table and turned my chair to face him, the legs scraping against the floor. He rested his hand on the back of it and bent down to my eye level. His expression caused the knots to tighten in my gut. “Is that sarcasm I detect?”
“Please, Cedric,” Sawyer said, standing from his chair. “Evan didn’t—”
“Why so worried, little brother? It’s not as though I plan to rip out his tongue for it.” Cedric didn’t take his eyes off me as he answered Sawyer, and that hard gleam in his eyes? Yeah, it said that’s exactly what he wanted to do. He palmed my cheek before pinching it between two fingers. “This close, I see you are quite the beauty. For a male. Adorably flushed soft skin and plump lips.” He smoothed his thumb across them. “But you should learn when to keep them closed.”
When I didn’t respond, his amusement grew.
“Look at that. Youarea quick learner.” He patted my cheek—hard—and pulled away. His gaze flickered to Kuya, and disgust clouded his expression. “Still keeping that beast around, I see. You’ll regret it one day when it kills you in your sleep.”
“Kuya wouldn’t,” the cat boy said, shaking his head. “Kuya loves Prince Sawyer.”
“How dare you speak to me,” Cedric snapped at him. “Being my brother’s attendant grants you certain freedoms, such as keeping your head, but it will only shield you for so long, beast.”
“Your Royal Highness?” an auburn-haired man asked from the gazebo steps. His uniform was fancier than that of the castle guards, all black with a splash of red at his collar. The hilt of his sword shone with gold, and the wrists of his uniform had gold cufflinks. A flash of silver lingered beneath his sleeves. Under armor, maybe? “The king requests your presence in the throne room.”
“Duty calls,” Cedric said with a sigh, his eyes returning to me. “I suspect we will meet again, Evan. I trust you’ll remember the lessons you learned today for when that time comes.”
Cedric left the gazebo, not paying any of the attendants or guards a bit of attention. It was clear he believed them to be beneath him.
“Prince Sawyer,” the uniformed man said with a tip of his head before following the royal douche-canoe.
“That was Sir Keegan of the First Order,” Sawyer told me. “He’s assigned to watch over Cedric.”
“Poor guy,” I said on impulse, then freaked a little. Cedric might’ve been an asshole, but that didn’t give me the right to basically insult him. He was the crown prince. “Um. I didn’t—”
“Don’t fret. Between you and me, I share the sentiment.” Sawyer stood from his chair and held out his hand to Kuya. The cat boy dashed over and grabbed it with both his hands, his reddish-brown tail swishing behind him. The prince appeared to calm with Kuya’s presence—and his touch. He looked at me. “I apologize for Cedric’s behavior. He wasn’t always so… mean-spirited. At one time, we were close. But then his power went to his head.”
“Why doesn’t he like demi-humans?”
