Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Theodor got tired of pacing; he got tired of sitting on the balcony and overlooking the palace grounds. The hour was getting late, and Boraleashe should’ve been there by now. They should’ve already been tangled together in his sheets.
“Where the fuck are you?” he growled, staring up into the night sky.
A quarter of his bedroom was open to the outdoors. There was no wall or windows, only openness to allow in the autumn breeze and the growth of his favorite trees he had planted throughout his quarters. He wanted Boraleashe to see it and love his space.
Theodor sighed, reclining deeper into the plush mattress. If his company didn’t get to him soon, Theodor wasn’t going to send for him. No, he was going to go find Boraleashe himself.
The moment he’d decided he’d waited long enough, the doors to his chambers opened, and a tall, well-built man with his face shadowed by the darkness of the room stood at the threshold. The light Theodor had to see by was moonlight, but already he could tell that the man in his chambers was not Boraleashe. He was sure of it because the silhouette and even the scent were all wrong.
“Who are you? And who allowed you in here?” Theodor leapt from his bed and tied his robe around his naked body.
“My king,” the visitor answered in a gruff tone, “it is Biorn of Cassius.”
“What in the hell are you doing in here?”
“I thought I was clear in my intentions this afternoon, and I thought you’d accepted my offer.” Biorn gestured over his shoulder at his chamber doors. “That is how I got into your quarters. I informed your guards that you were expecting me.”
“Well, then you lied. Accepting your flowers did not permit you to come to my bed,” Theodor snarled. He didn’t like at all how this looked. Biorn was dressed provocatively in tight, black leather trousers and a loose-fitting tunic split in the front to reveal far more chest and stomach than was necessary or appropriate in his palace. “You must leave, Biorn.”
“Theodor, what’s wrong?” Biorn asked, sounding confused.
Anger gripped Theodor, but he kept a hold on his actions, talking through clenched teeth. “Do not use my name so casually, Biorn. I didn’t give you permission to do that either.”
“But my king. I thought you had accepted my affections today… I apologize if I misread your actions?”
“I can assure you; you did. And for that reason, I apologize. I should’ve been a bit blunter, perhaps.”
“No apologies needed, my lord.” Biorn sauntered forward, unclasping the buttons holding together his flimsy top. His steps were light and seductive for such a large man. “I will be blunter as well. Allow me the honor to warm my king’s bed tonight.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Theodor hurried. “And let this be my last time telling you to leave before I call my—”
“Lord Theodor. I will do whatever you—” Biorn’s pale eyes blew open so wide it triggered Theodor to spin around to see what had scared the life and speech out of Biorn.
Boraleashe stood there on the balcony with his head lowered, his fists clenched at his sides while his sharp, silver eyes took in the scene before him. Theodor could see the terror of wrath bubbling beneath a surface of forced calmness. Panic unfurled because he knew how this looked, and he fucking hated misunderstandings. Loathed them. Theodor wanted to fix this fast, explain what Biorn was doing there, but Boraleashe didn’t give him a chance before his expression morphed from confusion to rage… to something very dangerous.
The temperature in the room plummeted to the degree that Theodor could see his own breath. Biorn looked about to soil himself, his normal olive skin tone turning a frightening shade of blue. Biorn clutched at his throat, gasping for breathable air when Boraleashe raised one hand and sent a powerful surge of snow and ice through every open space in his chambers.
Theodor was able to protect himself against the freezing temperatures, but his uninvited guest wasn’t faring so well. The plants in his room began to wilt, and the trees cracked and split from the frost clinging to their sensitive trunks.
“Boraleashe!” Theodor shouted. “Enough! You are a guest. Show some restraint!”
Boraleashe’s words started out a low growl before they spilled from his lips in a snarl. “And how many guests do you allow in your chambers nightly, Your Highness?”
Shit. Theodor clenched his jaw and held back the retort on the tip of his tongue while silent anger seeped through his veins. It was evident by the splotches of red on Boraleashe’s light skin that he was more embarrassed than mad. No one liked to be made a fool of, but a titan took that disgrace to a whole other level of disappointment. Which would result in words and blows being hurled at the offender.