Page 41 of His Realm

“Very.”

“Who stopped it? Who educated him?”

“That would be Varic.”

“What did he do?”

“He had to kill the duke to release his family—or what was left of them, which consisted of only his sister-wife and their first daughter.”

“And where are they now?”

“Mother and child live in London, happily, and enjoy their time with friends. They make their money from the daily tours of their home, which is now a tourist attraction.”

“Well, no matter what’s going on in Decimus’s holding, Varic is going to fix by whatever means necessary because as deluded as Gideon was about other things, like me for instance, he was right when he said that all must submit to Varic’s reign.”

“Of course,” Zev replied with a sharp exhale. “And while I agree with Varic’s idea of equality for all, you know they can’t be.”

“No, I know. You have the nobility and the other pure-blood vampyrs, as well as made vampyrs, and some have so much wealth and others none.”

“That’s right.”

“But what Varic wants is the same laws and protections for everyone. That’s why he has to see what’s happening there, and either end Decimus’s time as ruler of his house or allow him to remain.”

“I get it, don’t think I don’t. I just don’t see the wisdom in taking you with him.”

But he would once we were all there, I was certain.

When Zev and I arrived in the king’s chambers, he was pacing. We both bowed and waited, then straightened moments later when he didn’t acknowledge us. Since I’d never seen him pace before, I wasn’t sure what to do, so I waited, standing there quietly, until I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Your Majesty,” I called over to him.

Nothing. No response.

Several more minutes passed. Zev bumped my shoulder.

“What?” I whispered.

“Try again. This feels strange, us staring at him.”

It did, and after a moment, I raised my voice. “Your Majesty, may Zev and I sit with you, or would you prefer we left?”

He looked up that time, saw me, glanced at Zev, and waved his hand vaguely before going back to pacing. Assuming that meant he wanted us to stay, I sat down on an antique love seat, and Zev grabbed an ornate lacquered chair, carried it over, turned it around, and straddled it, elbows on the back. He rested his head on his arms as we watched the king like he was an animal in a zoo.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked.

“I suspect there are many issues.”

A lot of people thought Zev was all brawn and no brains, but nothing could be further from the truth. Plus, he’d been the head of the king’s guard for centuries, so the idea that anyone, besides Gideon, knew the mind of Messina Maedoc better, was madness.

“Like what?” I prodded him.

“What to do with his third-born son, for starters.”

“He’ll banish Alrek, don’t you think?”

“How can he?”

When I turned to look at him, I saw he was watching the king, so I had a moment to study Zev. He was handsome in that way that belonged on the cover of romance novels, with his shoulder-length dirty-blond hair, gray eyes, chiseled features, and stubble. He had a golden tan year-round, his shoulders were broad, and all of him was covered in hard muscle. Taken all together, he was a beautifully rugged man. I wondered often if, after Gideon, he would ever allow himself to be loved again.