Page 33 of The Spy

The mere touch was like licking a spoon full of hot honey, perfectly sweet, but with a kick of chili behind it that served to make Karl crave more.Karl wanted to devour the entire pot, licking each drip like the indolent prince he was supposed to be.Yet, he was prone on his back with Ama so very carefully leaning over him.

There would be other opportunities—a whole lifetime together to explore the promise in their kiss—so Karl didn’t protest when Ama slowly pulled away.Alina said Karl’s recovery was entirely dependent on the work he put in.Well, the look in Ama’s eyes full of want was only echoed in the desire churning inside Karl.He wanted Ama in a physical sense, but Karl also wanted that promised long future hand in hand with Ama.Karl would put in whatever work Alina asked of him to ensure he had the hands to do that with.

Karl knew that together, they would both be all right.

Epilogue

AMA

Ama walked down the aisle first.Being a prince of two nations gave him higher rank, even with Karl’s convoluted connection to nobility.Quasi-prince and baron did not trump double prince.Which meant Ama walked down the aisle first and then had the pleasure of watching Karl take his turn.Karl walked slowly, practically glowing in his white suit with all his military pins on his chest.A diadem crowned his brow, the silver a perfect match to the buttons on his jacket.Ama wore nearly the same outfit, but his embellishments were in gold, and he wore an actual crown—albeit a small one suitable for a royal prince not in line for inheritance of the throne.The only other difference in their outfits was the white sling holding Karl’s left arm immobile.He could use it for day-to-day tasks now, thanks to hours upon hours of physical therapy over the last six months, but the healers didn’t want him to use it fully just yet and his arm definitely wasn’t back to anywhere close to full strength.Either way, Karl was absolutely beautiful, and Ama could watch him walk down the aisle every day for the rest of his life.In fact, that was the entire wonderous point of the day.

“His Royal Highness, Prince Casmir Sventoval.Lord Karlow Musen Whist, the Baron Whistfield,” Ayer called when Karl stopped walking at Ama’s side.Karl smiled at Ama, joy and excitement in every movement, then held out his right hand.Ama smiled back, hoping his own happiness was just as evident, took Karl’s hand in his left, and they both turned to look at Ayer.

Crown Prince Ayer had asked them if he might officiate.Primarily because he was Karl’s uncle, but also to show his support for them.Politically, his officiating sent a message informing others Ayer had no coup or usurping fears from them, individually or because of their union.

“We come together today to bring these two august persons together in the bonds of matrimony,” Ayer continued, his voice echoing through the room and over the heads of the dozens of people in attendance.“Your Highnesses?”he added, bowing to two people behind Ama and Karl.

Queen Carmillian stepped up first, allowed the honor as a visiting dignitary.One of the main reasons they’d needed to wait six whole months to hold the wedding—aside from giving Karl enough time to heal—was to complete all the diplomatic wrangling required to allow the Queen of Namin to visit Etoval.Aunt Millie was wearing the colors of state, the brilliant blue and gold of Namin.She strode forward with a delicate swish of skirts to place her hands on both their shoulders.

“Namin welcomes this union and this opportunity to unite our kingdoms with even stronger bonds!”She pressed a kiss to their cheeks, in turn, before moving around Ama to stand at his side.

King Aurelius stepped up next, his suit in the darker gold and gray of Toval.“Toval welcomes this union between my nearly adopted grandson and my nephew.Through their marriage, we welcome the chance to finally, fully welcome Prince Karlow Musen-Val Whist into our family, even if it was by marriage rather than adoption.”He copied Aunt Millie by kissing them both on the cheek, either oblivious to Karl’s dropped jaw and the exclamations of surprise from some of the audience for naming him a prince, or more likely, not caring.He smiled at them both, then stepped aside, returning to his seat in the first row.Fen and Char took his place, copying Aunt Millie by standing to Karl’s side.

“Casmir, do you take this man as he is, who when bereft of fancy titles of state is a simple man named Karl?”

Karl was beaming, his eyes shimmering with pooling tears of happiness.He had never looked more beautiful.From the first moment Ama had ever seen Karl—himself half delirious with pain, mostly dead, and hanging off the saltire cross—something had drawn him in and made him want to know more about Karl.Every moment since had only cemented that draw because Karl was everything Ama had never before dared dream he might have.Love, happiness, a person who meant more than anything else in his life—that was Karl to Ama.

“I do,” Ama said with no hesitation and absolute conviction in every fiber of his being.Karl was the man Ama wanted to marry, and he was taking this opportunity to announce it for everyone to hear.

“Do you, Karlow, take this man as he is, who when bereft of fancy titles of state is a simple man named Cas?”

Ama’s smile was as wide as Karl’s, and he had to blink to keep his swimming vision clear so he could see the way Karl’s eyes crinkled at the corners as his smile grew just before he also answered, “I do.”

“Then, with the power vested in me as the heir apparent of these lands, surrounded by the king and queen who support you, and sealed by the parents who raised you, I now pronounce you married!”Ayer stepped back and bowed with a flourish.When he straightened again, he called out the last line, “You may now kiss your husband!”

Ama’s hands were steady as he reached out to cup Karl’s cheeks.He didn’t know why he assumed they would be shaking, but he was certain that this moment was the best of his entire life, and he wanted it to be perfect for them both.Karl tilted his head as Ama bent forward, and their lips touched, firm and dry, a chaste kiss giving consideration that they were in public.Yet Ama’s eyes slid closed, and he pressed closer, glad when Karl’s good arm wrapped around his shoulders since his knees were barely holding him up.

He didn’t want to pull away, but Ama also knew there would be time later for some of the more carnal promises in that kiss.Still, even as the kiss ended, he couldn’t completely step away just yet.He had to press his forehead to Karl’s, staring into those amazing golden-brown eyes and seeing love looking back.Only when Karl crinkled his nose in laughter did the spell break.Ama moved just far enough away to clasp hands with Karl, but he was absolutely certain there would be plenty of time later to rekindle that moment.They had forever together to look forward to, after all.

*

BRAXTON

“My two best spies just retired,” Braxton groaned, muffling his words in Caro’s jacketed shoulder.They were sitting in the front row with the rest of the family, but Braxton needn’t have bothered muffling at all since the cheering and clapping as Ama and Karl finally turned to look at the audience was practically deafening.

Caro snickered.“I think those two would get really bored without you giving them something to do.Maybe nothing as dangerous as the Yaroi mission again, but I’m sure you’ll have something fun for them to tackle soon enough.”

“Presuming we can drag Karl out of that little bakery Char bought him near his city house,” Braxton tacked on.“Kid’s still as mad about food as his father, even with a bum arm.”

Caro laughed again.“The arm is healing.He might not be as good with a blade or at kneading bread with that arm as he was before, but knowing Karl, that won’t stop him.Now hush, I want to enjoy this.”

Braxton settled back into his seat, stifling his own chuckle.Ama and Karl might be facing the crowd, but the way they both kept stealing glances with each other said they really only wanted to be together right now.They reminded Braxton of his own wedding to Caro.

Queen Carmillian hadn’t been able to come to theirs since Namin was in too much disarray at the time, but she had sent her daughter to stand in for Caro’s family.Caro had Alina to stand at his side, but also having blood family in addition to his dearest friend had really made Caro happy.And yet, there had been that moment standing together, as King Aurelius declared them married, when all concerns had simply fallen away.Only he and Caro had stood there, the rest of the world gone, the two reveling in being together and knowing it was for forever.Braxton was certain that was exactly what Ama and Karl were experiencing right at this moment.

The two newlyweds continued to hold hands as they started walking back down the aisle together.Braxton stood along with everyone else, still clapping, as the room honored the couple’s milestone.Only once they walked through the doors at the far end did the clapping stop as the rest of the attendees began milling around while they waited for cocktail hour to begin before the celebratory ball that evening.

“You know,” Caro murmured into Braxton’s ear as his hand slid into Braxton’s to clasp him close.“You could always train some new spies.”

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