Page 10 of The Prince's Sacrifice

Tor leaned in to kiss him softly. “Thank you.”

Pel was only attracted to men, so he wasn’t at all worried that his tiny amount of magic would help contribute to a pregnancy that required a huge amount of magic to achieve, but he did prefer to be responsible. It wouldn’t hurt anything to be extra careful.

“Did anyone actually practice with you?” Tor asked.

Pel looked at him askance, and Tor laughed.

“I mean about actively withholding your magic.”

Slowly, Pel shook his head. Once he’d Manifested as Unremarkable, magic had become a virtually forbidden subject—unless someone was lamenting how unfortunate his situation was. Pel had avoided all talk of it whenever he could.

Tor took him through an exercise to help him focus and pull back his magic, and Pel didn’t have the heart to tell him that there was practically nothing to withhold. The way Tor talked about it, it was clear he had a… a wellspring of magic in him. Pel didn’t even have a trickle.

But it was true that Unremarkable were able to prevent conception, or the many Unremarkable pairings would have a lot more children. Pel tried to concentrate.

“It’s basically just keeping all your magic with you,” Tor added. “It sounds silly, I know. That’s what you’re normally doing. But in the heat of intimacy when you’re spilling inside someone, it can feel like the most natural impulse in the world to just ‘let go.’ You need to remember not to do that with your magic.”

Pel sucked in a breath. He’d never thought of it quite like that. He still didn’t think he had enough magic, but he could betterenvision now why it was a concern, especially for Illustrious and Extraordinary with their increased magic.

“I’ll be careful,” he agreed. “But it’s a relief to know that you know what you’re doing, just in case.”

Tor grinned. “Yes, I’ve got us covered. But I’m confident you’ll figure it out.”

Tor’s confidence in Pel wasn’t something he should need, but he had to admit that it made him feel good. There weren’t a lot of people in his life who believed in him.

Smiling, Pel said, “So what’s next now that we’ve determined that we’re not going to get you pregnant?”

Tor laughed. “Can you imagine me trying to explain that to my brother?”

Pel made a face. “Absolutely not.”

Pel doubted High King Varex remembered Pel any more clearly than Tor had, and Pel kind of wanted to keep it that way.

Tor climbed back onto his hands and knees, waggling his ass. “I mean, itdoesmake telling him anything else seem easier by comparison. But that’s a problem for another day. Just at the moment, the problem is my ass.”

He shook it again, and Pel snorted with laughter. “Oh, your ass is the problem? Do tell.”

“It needs to be loosened up so that it can receive your very lovely cock.”

“That’s where the oil comes in.” Pel had the vial ready. He was an absolute novice, but he paid careful attention to what Tor said.

“Still want me to do the stretching?”

Tilting his head to one side, Pel tried to envision it. “Uh, how would you do it yourself?”

Tor demonstrated, and Pel frowned.

“That doesn’t look very comfortable.”

“It’s a bit awkward,” Tor agreed with a shrug that rippled through the back muscles Pel could see on such glorious display. “But worth it for the outcome.”

OrPel could do this part, even if it made him nervous, and Tor wouldn’t be contorted awkwardly.

“Let me,” Pel said, before he could lose his nerve. “Just promise to tell me if I do anything wrong.”

Tor cast him a look over his shoulder. “Look: it’s your fingers in my ass. It’s not actually that complicated.”

Given that they were prepping Tor for something that could hurt or be uncomfortable otherwise, it clearlycouldgo wrong, but Pel appreciated the attempt to lighten the mood.