Page 31 of The Prince's Sacrifice

Sighing, Pel admitted, “I was coming home to lick my wounds after Princess Terila had dismissed me. And there was Bavil, who’d treated Princess Marwila awfully when they were supposed to be courting.”

“Ah,” Tor said with understanding.

“After we’d both had such dismal results, Father turned his attention to Larexa. And she told him that no one but someone Extraordinary could possibly do for her because she was Extraordinary herself. He agreed with her, of course, and so any plans for her were put on hold until they could find someone who would suit her level of magnificence.”

Tor was silent for a moment. “I’m, uh, not doubting that your sister said that, but isn’t it a little weird that she hasn’t been trying a whole lot harder to get me?”

Truthfully, Pel had never understood why she hadn’t thrown herself at an Extraordinary High Prince.

“Maybe she just doesn’t like you,” he suggested.

Tor pouted. “What’s not to like about me?”

Pel pressed a kiss to those pouty lips. “Absolutely nothing. Everything about you is entirely likable.”

“I am a bit of an ass,” Tor admitted.

“I like you anyway,” Pel assured him.

Tor preened visibly but pointed out, “And I might have run away from my brother.”

“But that’s how we found one another, so that’s all right.”

Tor grinned now. “That’s true. Maybe everything about me really is likable.”

“Except for that ego,” Pel said promptly.

Tor pouted again, and Pel laughed. Tor grinned at him.

“If you want my opinion, which I imagine you don’t, it seems to me like something is going on.”

Pel stiffened for a moment and then settled back against the other man. “Maybe. But it’s been three years, and they’ve never said anything.”

He sort of thought the exclusion spoke for itself.

Conversationally, Tor said, “So we both have really awesome families full of drama, and we’ll feel right at home with one another.”

This surprised a laugh out of Pel. “If you want to look at it like that.”

“I’m sure it’ll be easier to manage when we’re together,” Tor said confidently.

The last three years had been kind of awful, even if Pel had spent a lot of time telling himself that he was better off on his own.

Pel twined their hands together. Even without the Tendrilling, just being connected like this andrememberingthe Tendrilling gave him a boost.

He couldn’t imagine wanting this with anyone else—but there was still an important consideration.

“I mean it about your brother,” Pel told Tor firmly. “I don’t want to fight with the High King.”

Tor made a face. “No one wants to fight with the High King. He almost always wins. And he has annoying advisors.” He eyed Pel. “Can we keep Tendrilling? And maybe start Blending? On the understanding that we’re working towards a bond once I explain everything to my brother?”

Blending was a precursor to bonding, frequent Tendrilling with one person, sort of like getting the two bodies and magics ready to connect permanently. Pel was pretty sure that the much smarter thing to do would be to maintain some boundaries between them. Tor seemed to think that he could convince the High King of the wisdom of their bond. Pel was a lot less certain.

But… if they were going to lose, if Tor couldn’t convince High King Varex of the wisdom of their plan to bond, then would Pel rather have stopped things now or have as long with Tor as he possibly could?

There was only one right answer.

Pel smiled and said, “I’d like that.”