Page 21 of The Prince's Fealty

Sighing, Tor asked, “Will you lie down with me?”

Pel eyed him with exaggerated suspicion. “Will someone need to sing?”

Tor snorted. “No. Promise.”

He felt better when Pel was with him. He wasn’t sure if that was the bond or just Tor’s general preference. Thankfully, despite the fact that Pel couldn’t possibly be tired, he lay down with Tor anyway, curling around him and twining their fingers together.

“I love you,” Tor whispered.

He hadn’t said it enough, and he’d almost lost the chance to ever say it again.

“I love you, too,” Pel told him. “So much.”

A thrill ran through Tor at the words. Yes, he’d definitely have to say it more often.

Tor was shaken awake by Cavun. Pel was already sitting up at his side.

Tor blinked, disoriented.

Cavun said, “Tama is back.”

Beluna came to squat down beside them. Quietly, she said, “Denil reports that while she’s brought one woman with her, a huge number of exiles came with them. They stopped about an hour away, and just Tama and the other woman came all the way here.”

Tor and Pel exchanged glances.

Pel asked, “But there’s no indication that they’re an attacking force?”

Beluna hesitated for a moment and then admitted, “No. There are many civilians. The guards look like they’re protection more than an attacking force. But I don’t like it.”

Tor didn’t like things he didn’t understand, either. But they weren’t going to find out more without asking.

He really hoped it wasn’t a threat, though.

“Keep an eye on everything,” Pel instructed her. “Let us know if the situation changes. In the meantime, we’ll meet with Tama’s guest.”

Tor was a little surprised that Pel had taken charge, but then he realized that in the two weeks Tor was in a magical coma, Pel had probably been doing a lot of that.

Pel must have caught the expression on Tor’s face, and he sat back, his shoulders hunching a little. “Sorry. Did you—”

Tor leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“I like it when you take charge. It’s hot.”

Pel continued to stare intently at Tor for a moment, and then his lips curled up into a smirk as his shoulders relaxed.

“Noted.”

Pel rose to his feet and then helped Tor stand. He felt… better than he had earlier, but still far from normal. It took him a moment to get his feet under him and make sure that his body was ready to be upright. He ached all over, but apart from his leg and his side, it wasn’t a sharp pain. More like every part of him was reminding him of what he’d been through.

Tor ran his hands through his hair and tried to straighten his clothing. He hoped no one was expecting him to look or behave particularly princely.

Bavil was already standing at the entrance to the cave, and Tor and Pel came to join him. Cavun was between them and the approaching Tama. It was raining again, and Tor couldn’t tell what time it was thanks to the overcast sky. Tama had lowered her hood so they could see it was her.

There was no one with her.

“What’s going on?” Tor asked.

She had an odd look on her face.