Page 34 of The Prince's Sacrifice

“Oops.”

They grinned foolishly at one another, and Tor reflected that yet another lovely thing about being in an actual relationship was that he didn’t have to get it right all the time. He didn’t have to worry about living up to his reputation and being his most perfectly seductive self.

In fact, at this point, he was trying to live his reputation down and prove himself to Pel—who didn’t seem to mind when he was a bit sloppy or silly or sex drunk.

Everything Tor wanted was here in his lap—well, moving off of his lap now because they needed to get cleaned up. It was only once they’d managed that that Tor realized just how bright the light from the window was.

“I think we slept in.”

Pel’s head swiveled to the window, and he looked equally surprised. “I thought we just dozed off. But I do feel well rested. And very pleasantly relaxed.” He shot Tor a wink.

Tor grinned hugely, chest swelling with so many emotions. It wasn’t that long ago that Pel would never have done such a thing, and the fact that he was willing to be this open with Tor now made him feel proud and humbled and happy and giddy and just… so in love.

They hurried to dress, although Tor was pretty sure they must have missed servants coming into the room. Well, if they were anything like Larexa, they’d probably figured out what was going on long since. Or maybe they’d noticed the changes of clothes that Pel now kept in Tor’s room. Whatever the case, everyone seemed to be keeping it to themselves, and Tor was grateful for their discretion.

They’d slept past the time they usually had breakfast and left for the farms, so they agreed to go into town instead today, since it was closer. Tor detoured to the kitchen to grab some food and refresh the magic in their crystal lamps—he was given distinctly enough food for two people, he was definitely fooling no one—and then met Pel in the stables, where no one there remarked on the late hour, either.

Once they’d mounted Melody and Extraordinary, they set off, and Tor handed over half his bounty, buns stuffed with eggs, cheese, and fresh greens. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, and then Tor raised the topic that had been rather on his mind lately.

“Would you come back with me to Alossa to talk to my brother?”

Pel looked stunned. “Really?”

Tor nodded. “I know you’re serious about wanting his approval for the bond, and I’m extremely serious about getting it. I think the explanation would come better from both of us.”

“Won’t he feel he’s getting ambushed?” Pel asked.

“Maybe. But…” Tor huffed a breath and tried to figure out how to explain himself. “I think if I try to tell him about a relationship I had in Tond that he had no idea was going on and which he won’t be able to see any evidence of, I’m unlikely to convince him. But if you’re there, if he can actually meet you and see the two of us interact, I think we can show him that this is real and true and wonderful.”

Pel drew in a breath, blew it out, and stared out at the mountains for a minute before he turned back to Tor and nodded decisively. “Yes, I’ll come.”

“Really?” Tor had been marshaling arguments that would convince him.

“Yes.” Pel gave a lopsided smile. “It’s sort of terrifying, but you make a sensible argument. How can your brother judge arelationship he’s never seen? Even if I’m not as confident as you are that he’ll say yes, Iwanthim to. Presenting a united front makes sense.”

Tor beamed at him. “Exactly.”

On the face of it, Pelwasan Unremarkable younger prince of the smallest realm. But there was so much more to him than that, and in person, Varex would be able to see it. He didn’t always listen when Tor talked, but Tor would be fighting for this as never before, and Pel could stand on his own two feet.

Maybe they could convince Varex that an archery competition was a good way for Pel to win Tor’s hand?

Pel’s mind had apparently gone down another path. “My father isn’t going to like it.”

“We will convince your father it’s his idea,” Tor told him firmly. “I will drag along your siblings if I have to. I will even bringhimif it means I can get you to Alossa and explain this all to my brother.”

Pel laughed. “I somehow don’t think that bringing along my entire family would make possible this nice, intimate discussion with your brother that you’re hoping for.”

“But I would do it anyway,” Tor assured him, “if it’s the only way to get you to Alossa.”

Pel looked inexpressibly fond. “Let’s see if we can’t manage better than that. I wouldn’t mind a little alone time with you, you know.”

“I like the way you think.”

Arriving in town, they tied up the horses and began their stroll through the town square. People were pretty used to seeing them at this point, some calling out a greeting, some coming up to talk for a few minutes.

Tor was going to have to get used to traveling with guards again soon. It was probably a slightly terrible idea to not have guards now, in fact, but it appeared that Pel had never had any—yet one more thing that made Tor want to punch King Forex—and Tor had kind of… disappeared with him. There’d never been a hint of a problem—but as Varex liked to point out to Tor, not having to make use of something wasn’t the same as not needing it. And when Tor thought aboutPel’s safety, he’d certainly rather err on the side of caution.

Forex wouldn’t like it, but Tor could probably get some guards to come with them to Alossa. And he’d just have to find the right way to phrase it… Something about the High Prince needing protection and Tond being able to provide said protection. Tor wasn’t too proud when it came to keeping Pel safe. Anyone could be ambushed, after all, and this wouldn’t be the same as Tor’s trip up to Tond, when he’d been pretending to be his best friend and no one knew where he’d gone.