Page 166 of Night's Fall
“The same will happen to you if you ever play in the royal pool again,” he warned. “AndshouldNatadecide to move to the administration wing, and you see her, you will behave with the dignity of your title.Onward, you will respect the females who work for the throne.No.Youwill learn to respect females full stop.Andif you do something outside thePalacewalls that demands the negotiation of hush money again, the amount will be decided by me, and it will be deducted from your allowance.Ifyou should continue to behave like an incorrigible, entitled brat, and this should go into arrears, your royal duties will be suspended.”
He looked between the two of them and kept going.
“This stops now.Ifyou don’t learn from the consequencesI’veset forth, your royal privileges will be permanently revoked, and you’ll be stripped of your titles.Youwill be removed from thePalace, and although residences will be provided for you, they won’t be anywhere near what you’re used to, and you will be required to find employment in order to sustain yourselves.”
Everyone was silent.
The silence was heavy.
Timothee stupidly decided to break it.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” he demanded hotly.
“You know whoIam,Tim,”Alekseiretorted unemotionally. “I’mclaiming my right.Ishould have done it the momentIheard your latest villainy.Fortunately, the negotiations with this female are still happening, soIcan intervene and try to do the impossible, everythingIcan to make it even a modicum of right by her.”
“TheNightGod’schoice, the chosen son,”Timotheesneered, jerking his head toward his mother to indicate whose chosen sonAlekseiwas. “Doyou not get what a headfuck it is to slink along in your shadow?”
“No,Idon’t,”Alekseireturned. “BecauseI’mme, and you’re you.I’dask you to consider for a moment what it feels like to be in my shoes?—”
“So tough,I’msure,”Timotheescorned. “I’dsohate to be you.Thefiercest dragon.Thebest marks at school.Femalesthrowing themselves at your feet.”Hejabbed a finger my way. “Destinydumps a female with great tits and a perfect ass in your lap…ulk!”
Suddenly, the room was a flurry of motion as everybody moved becauseAlekseihad taken his brother by the throat and was lifting him to the tips of his toes by it.
“Son,”QueenCalisawas at his side, and her word was a plea.
“Drahko,”Iwas at his other side, my hand on his arm, my voice soft, but my word was also a plea.
“You speak of theTrueBride,”Alekseiwhispered sinisterly.
Oh gods.
I hadn’t heard that term in ages because there hadn’t been one in ages.
But theTrueBridewasme.
“And your brother’s mate,” he bit off. “Shewill have respect, or you will regret your actions until your dying…fucking…breath.AmIperfectly clear?”
Timothee was choking, but also nodding.
Aleksei flung him into the chair.
I latched onto his arm, and he allowed me to pull him away two steps, but that was all he allowed.
“AmIclear about the rest of it?” he askedTimothee.
“Fuck you,”Timotheespat, rubbing his neck.
“Is that a no?”Alekseiasked dangerously.
“No.I’mclear.BecauseIhave no choice.Right?”
“Correct,”Alekseisaid.Heturned toErrol. “Nowyou.HaveImade myself clear?”
Errol turned to his father and whined, “Dad.”
KingFillionwas staring at his eldest son.
“Dad!”Errolcalled sharply.
