Page 91 of What Fury Brings
“She’s— What’s a seul?”
Olerra snapped her gaze to Ydra’s retreating back so quickly he was surprised it didn’t hurt her neck. “Where did you learn that?”
“Ydra might have mentioned something.”
Olerra rolled her eyes. “It’s when a woman chooses only one partner to share her life with. Only one to bed.”
“And you’ve chosen me?” he asked in a voice almost too quiet to hear.
She nodded once.
And then he had to know: “Did you decide this before or after you’d taken me?”
Was this for Andrastus or him?
“After.”
The word shattered him. It made no sense. She hardly knew him, yet she all but announced that he was special to her.
“You didn’t want me to know?” he asked.
“You seem to pull away from me the more affectionate I become.”
It was true. Even now he felt the immense desire to flee. He couldn’t handle the emotions she wrought in him or how these last few days with her soldiers had been some of the best of his life.
Gods, if his father found out…
Perhaps she could see him spiraling because she quickly added, “It’s because my cousin is winning, and I needed to do something drastic to win over the nobility.”
“How does this win them over?”
“I told you. If they think I’m madly in love with you, they will not think me so weak for taking that beating for you. It is a ruse, Andrastus. You and I are the only ones who know how things really are between us.”
Did they? Did he?
She’d given up sex with another man for him.
No, nothim, for a throne. Sanos would do that and more if it would make him the Brutish king.
Then why did Ydra seem to think there was so much more to it?
Sanos wanted to ask but didn’t want to admit he was thinking so hard about it.
“There’s more,” Olerra said, interrupting his thoughts. “I need to ask something of you, and I need you to take it seriously.”
“What?”
“My cousin is throwing a party. We have to be seen together. We have to seem in love, and I need you to show up the men in her harem.”
“What?” he repeated.
“At parties, the men will often show off their talents. They perform the entertainments for the night. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to prove yourself better than any man from Glen’s harem. Perhaps you could recite some poetry you’re fond of? Do something in front of everyone to make them like you?”
“Recite poetry,” he repeated.
“Yes, I’ve heard you do recitations that bring crowds to tears.”
Fuck.
