Page 72 of The Prince's Sacrifice

He hadn’t known he could love someone so much. And no matter what happened, they could be certain of that.

Either Tor really was fully recovered, or he was having as much trouble sleeping as Pel was. They roused too early in themorning but didn’t get out of bed, like they could pretend the rest of the world wasn’t there. Instead, they turned so that they were on their sides, facing one another, the sheet pooled at their waist.

“What are you thinking?” Tor asked.

“Hmm?”

Tor reached out and smoothed a thumb gently over the furrow that was apparently in Pel’s brow. Pel sighed.

“I always come here for a major life event.” The realization had come to him at some point in the restless night. “Deaths, coronations, weddings, naming ceremonies. So now it feels like this is going to be the same. Like it has to be life-changing.”

Tor slipped his hand into Pel’s, and Pel clutched at it like it was a lifeline.

“I certainly hope tying our lives together will be life-changing,” Tor said quietly.

Pel wondered if he was as certain as he sounded, or if he was just stating the future he wished for.

“I hope so, too,” Pel agreed, because the alternative was admitting that he feared that their lives were going to change back to how they had been, that Pel was going to be told he didn’t get to keep Tor after all.

Tor cupped Pel’s face with his free hand. “We’re going to fight for the future we want,” he assured Pel. Then his lips quirked. “Also, this is simply home, and I’d like to share it with you.”

Pel made himself smile and tried to let go of some of his anxiety. He’d actually sort of forgotten about that in the midst of everything else.

“I’d like that,” he said, really meaning it, trying to stuff all the worries far out of sight, where they wouldn’t get in the way.

He couldn’t control what would happen, but he could control how he reacted.

“What do you most want to show me?” Pel asked.

Tor shot him a sly look. “That’s a surprise, obviously.”

Pel smiled even as he rolled his eyes. “Obviously.”

Leaning in, Tor kissed the smile off Pel’s lips, and Pel clung to him. They made love slowly. There was no question about the desperation in their touches this morning, but they determinedly didn’t mention it, just drove one another to completion until daylight shone in through the window, able to reach them even through the narrow alley, and they knew their time was up.

Tor twined his fingers with Pel’s again. “I know it’s probably a source of stress right now, but I’m really glad you’re with me.”

Pel smiled in spite of himself and squeezed the other man’s hand. “I’m glad, too.”

They rose from the bed to clean up and get ready for the day. Pel got breakfast served upstairs to keep Tor hidden for a few more minutes—not that it did much good, as he spent almost as much time as Pel moving the food around on his plate.

Their clothes had been neatly cleaned, at least, and they dressed looking more presentable than they had on the rest of this journey.

Beluna, Denil, and Cavun knocked on the door when they were finished breakfast, and Tor and Pel gratefully abandoned their meal.

“Did you want to stay here?” Tor asked. “Just until we find out exactly what Forex wrote in his letter to my brother?”

They exchanged glances.

“Yes, please,” Beluna said firmly. “I’d prefer not to be thrown into a dungeon if it’s avoidable.”

“I’d break you out,” Tor assured her.

She smirked.

“We’ll be back with news later today,” Tor told them. “I’m sure my brother will want to see me as soon as possible, and there are still a lot of hours left in the day even if we’re arguing.”

Pel rolled his eyes, and the others didn’t look sure if they were allowed to laugh, since Tor was talking about the High King.