Page 7 of The Prince's Sacrifice

“We do seem to be better at communicating now,” Pel agreed. He tried to make his voice as matter-of-fact as possible. “But you can’t stay in Tond forever, right? I’ll have to go back to visiting like I’ve always done.”

His heart sank at the very idea, but that was him being foolish. Of course he’d be able to manage once Tor left. It obviously wouldn’t be as good as when Tor washere, but Pel had always known he wasn’t going to get to keep the man.

Tor was silent for a moment, and then he said, “I imagine even if you’re on your own, you’ll be as wonderful as always.”

It was weird to feel both uplifted and downcast at the same time. Pel would certainly do his best, but he had the feeling it would never be the experience it had been before he’d started visiting with Tor.

Pel tried to shake the mood off. He cast a look at the man riding beside him.

“I mean, there will be lessridiculousnesswithout you. I imagine the visits will be practical and efficient.”

Tor sniffed. “Sounds boring.”

Goddess help him, it did.

Tor’s lips curled at one corner. “You could try to develop a sense of humor.”

Pel rolled his eyes. “I don’t think arrogant ass is a good look for me.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Tor drawled. “I happen to think your ass is quite spectacular.”

Pel could feel himself flush, but he said, “Thank you, but that’s not really the impression I’m trying to make on Tond’s citizens.”

Tor shrugged. “More for me.”

That… wasn’t how that worked, but Pel couldn’t help but smile.

The perfect bright moments made it possible to endure the scrutiny of his siblings without—he hoped—giving everything away. They’d seen how everything had gone after the archery competition, when Pel and Tor weren’t talking to one another. They’d seen the two of them getting along fine now, and Pel really tried to behave the same as always so that they wouldn’t see there was more going on.

Bavil and Tor still had discussions at the dinner table while King Forex drank. Tor still turned the pages for Larexa when she played the pianoforte after drinks. Pel didn’t let himself stare constantly at Tor—which, truthfully, had been a struggle even before they’d started… whatever it was they’d started. Arelationship, which still seemed unbelievable.

Part of Pel desperately wanted to claim Tor in front of everyone. But once the news was out… he couldn’t control anything after that. Even leaving aside his father, he could only guess how shocked everyone would be, how doubtful that Pel could really interest the High Prince. And when Tor left? Could Pel handle all the pitying looks? Or worse, everyone behaving as though that was the only logical outcome?

No, he’d just have to try not to smile so much or to catch Tor’s eye or to let their fingers brush together where anyone could see. He needed to be sensible about this.

Chapter Two

Pel

Pel enjoyed everything he and Tor did together, but as the days passed, part of him had begun to wonder if they were ever going to get to the full-on sex stage. Not that everything else they were doing wasn’t great! But… why weren’t they doing the rest of it?

Pel knew, after all, that Tor had sex with lots of other people. Well, he supposed he didn’t know exactly what they did in the bedroom, but he was sure it wasn’t only using hands and mouths, as amazing as those were. So why weren’t the two of them doing more? Pel’s history clamored at him that Torwouldn’t want—but the rest of him remembered how thoughtfulTor was, how he always gave Pel choices and didn’t want to pressure him.

It was far more likely, he realized suddenly, that Tor was waiting for Pel to broach the topic.

So one night when they’d gathered in Tor’s room as usual after they’d finally escaped from his family after dinner, Pel said, “I was wondering…”

Tor grinned at him—this particular one also something of a leer, because they’d set the tone for what tended to happen during their nights together.

Pel couldn’t help but grin back as he said, only a little awkwardly, “I’ve been more than a little curious as to what, uh, fully penetrative sex is like.”

Because he’d heard the lecture from the other man several times about how sex was sex and it shouldn’t be restricted to precise body parts going in precise locations.

Tor’s smile brightened. “Have you? I’d be very happy to explore that with you. Would you like to be on the top or the bottom?”

They might not have had penetrative sex yet, but Tor had explained a lot. Nevertheless, Pel was still kind of stunned, because it hadn’t occurred to him that it might be a question. Because Tor was the High Prince, was Extraordinary, and was way more experienced. He was older and more attractive, too. The list went on and on! Didn’t it go without saying that he’d top?

But apparently it didn’t, because Tor had asked, and Pel had been staring for too long, because the smile slipped from Tor’s face. He pulled Pel into his arms, though, and Pel wrapped his arms around him and rested his head against Tor’s shoulder.