Page 47 of The Sun King's Noon

“Come with me to the ball.” Ravi’s accented voice was warm and melodious.

Kaelen snorted. “You are impossible.”

“Yes.” Ravi swiped the cream from Kaelen’s cheek and sucked his finger. “But I am also delightful, which is why you should go with me to the ball.”

Kaelen rolled his eyes. “Gladly.”

The courtyard applauded. People stamped and whistled.

Richard bit his tongue hard. This should not upset him so. Kaelen had likely slept with Ravi last night, had likely kissed himaplenty, and now they would go to the ball together, with Kaelen smiling at this new man the way he used to smile at?—

At whom? At Richard? When had Kaelen ever smiled at Richard like that, so open and dazed and flushed? When had Richard ever given him reason to?

A tight band constricted around Richard’s chest, stealing his breath.

He needed to leave.

Richard pushed off the balcony’s rail and turned into the deeper hallways, unsure where he was even heading. The courtyard’s din soon faded behind him. After a left, he took a right, then wandered into the quieter northern wing, where the sconces were already lit. Several tapestries adorned the walls, depicting Haldric and Dain in their younger days, battling a horde of undead that a group of dark mages had raised. Richard stared at his father—the blond man grinning as he faced down the monsters that encircled the city—and felt his heart wrench.

“My king!” The voice rang off the stone, chased by the clatter of boots.

Richard gulped and quickened his steps.

“My king! Wait!”

The footsteps closed the distance, and a hand seized his arm above the elbow.

Richard wrenched free and spun.

Kaelen stood before him, chest heaving, colour high in his cheeks. His hair was dishevelled and his eyes wide. The last of the sunlight—pouring through the window at the corridor’s end—painted Kaelen in gold and copper shades. It caught the scar bisecting his lip, lit his eyes, and cast long shadows from his lashes. He looked?—

Beautiful. Infuriatingly so.

Richard scowled. “What is it?”

Kaelen’s brows drew together. “I saw you watching, my king. Why did you leave?”

Richard clenched his jaw. “I have no wish to linger where I do not belong. Return to your celebration, Sir Kaelen.” He gave a mocking smile. “To your new companion. Enjoy the evening.”

“You are angry.” Kaelen squinted at him. “Why?” Wounded bewilderment laced his words. “I do not understand.”

The tight knot around Richard’s chest snapped. “No, I suppose you would not. You have spent the better part of two days fawning over the Naradeshi dancer in full view of the court, the delegations, and the staff. You are the Deputy Captain of the Crownsguard. You represent the discipline and bearing of my personal guard. And yet you have been behaving as though this ball were arranged for your own amusement.”

Kaelen gaped before his surprise morphed into a glare. “That is not true. I reviewed the security rotations at dawn. I inspected the ballroom safety measures, the hallways, the guest lists, and the servants’ passages. I have ensured a guard rotation at all entry points to the castle. Every task assigned to me has been completed. You may ask my father for confirmation.”

Richard’s fingers twitched at his sides. Of course, Kaelen had done it all. The man was nothing if not relentless in his duties, thorough in every capacity, and Richardknewthis, and yet the acknowledgement only made the coiling fury worse.

“Besides,” Kaelen continued stiffly, “the purpose of this summit, as you explained, is to forge bonds and create goodwill between our peoples. I have been doing exactly that. Building friendship. Learning of Ravi’s training, his people, his customs—” He broke off with a huff. “I do not understand what offence I have committed.”

“The offence,” Richard gritted out, “is that you were sighted leaving Ravi’s bedchamber this morn.”

“Yes. And?” Kaelen’s voice hardened. “I am a grown man, my king. If I visit another’s chamber, that has no bearing on my duties or on you.”

Richard bit back a growl. “It has every bearing when my Deputy Captain is seen stumbling from a delegate’s quarters at an indecent hour. You—you are—” He sucked in a breath, searching for words sharp enough. “You are carrying on like a dog in heat.”

He had wanted the insult to wound, to crack through Kaelen’s glare. But instead, Kaelen went utterly still, a cold mask sliding over his features, and Richard found himself wishing he could take back his words.

“A dog.” Kaelen stepped close. He loomed over Richard, eyes narrowed into flints. “So that is how you see me, Your Majesty.”