Page 109 of What Fury Brings
“Deal with them how?”
“At first, she wanted me to scare them off. Then she requested I get physical. That’s when the queen noticed what was happening and stepped in. I was ten, and Auntie said we should spend more time together. She gently showed me what my cousin was doing and taught me that family doesn’t demand so much of us. When I confronted Glenaerys about it, she seemed horrified that I would think that her love only came if I was doing things for her.”
“You grew distant after that?” he asked.
“No. We remained close until we were fifteen. It’s the age women must reach before they are permitted entrance to the brothels. For her birthday, Glenaerys wanted to go, insisting she couldn’t bear to arrive by herself. She wanted me there, too. Even though I was not quite fifteen. I gave in, thinking I was hardly about to become more mature in another three months. We went to an establishment specifically for female differres.
“Because we’re part of the royal family, the proprietor didn’t blink at my appearance when he saw us enter. In fact, he was flattered that we’d chosen his establishment for our First Nights. He said the evening was on him. We could go through as many of his studs as we wanted until the sun came up.”
“But you didn’t…” Andrastus felt the need to clarify.
“I’ll tell you exactly what happened if you can stay quiet.”
He snapped his mouth shut.
“At the brothel, the doors have small openings at eye level that latch open and shut so guests can peer inside. If someone doesn’t want to be observed, they can lock the latch from the inside. Otherwise, the prostitutes who are unoccupied leave their latches unlocked so anyone can look inside and make their selections. Glen and I took our time, looking through every single opening to examine all the pretty men.” Olerra still remembered when they’d stumbled across the unlocked window of a door that already had two occupants. Glen and Olerra had peered within, side by side, as they watched the woman riding the man. She’d thrown her head back and moaned as soon as she’d realized she was being watched. As though such a thing excited her even more.
Olerra didn’t say that part aloud. “When Glen decided on a man, I waited in the hallway. Told her I wasn’t ready. She didn’t give me a hard time about it at all. She simply went into the chosen room and said I could go. I’m not sure why I stayed. There was something erotic about the hallway, listening to moans and cries of pleasure. I’d never witnessed anything like it. All my instructions up until that point had been done with books and mannequins—but then something new cut through the space. A cry that was different from the others. One of pain. I ran for the proprietor, but when we arrived, it was already over. Glen was exiting the room, and she left a barely breathing man backon the bed. Bruises were already forming around his neck, and his arm was bent at an odd angle.”
Olerra paused, remembering her shock from all those years ago. “She’d hurt him. She’d realized early on that pain made her more aroused, and she relished in it. She was banned from the brothel, and she blamed me for tattling on her. But more than that, I finally realized who she really is at her core.”
Olerra turned to Andrastus. “I’m not a perfect person, but I’m leagues above my cousin. I’m not going to gain more power by picking on those I know to be weaker than I am. I’m not going to kill my once sister for a throne. I’m going to win it from her and bask in her defeat.”
She was honorable, and she was loyal, even when others weren’t deserving. Sanos admired that about her.
“What of you?” she asked in return. “Have you ever considered taking out your brother to inherit the throne of Brutus?”
Gods, he hated lying to her. “I am not politically ambitious. I don’t have any desire to rule.” Well, he supposed that wasn’t exactly a lie. The only reason he wanted his crown was because it meant his father was dead. Otherwise, he wanted nothing to do with a legacy that once belonged to his father. Atalius and his ancestors could shove it up their asses.
But Olerra had shown him the changes for the better he could make in his country. For women. For the poor. There was so much he could learn from her still.
Even if that all seemed empty if she couldn’t be there by his side.
“What do you dream of, then?” she asked.
With her large eyes and dark hair and pink lips, he couldn’t denysuch a powerful truth. “Do you know what? I think I was dreaming of you all these years.”
She gave him a look that suggested she did not believe him, so he was forced to continue.
“I haven’t gotten close to many people. My father is a jealous man who likes complete control. I could do nothing but dream of connection. I dreamed of friendship. I dreamed of courtship, even. I knew I would be wedded off for political advancement.” He reached out to take her hand in his. “I dreamed of physical touch. Of hands that didn’t beat me but soothed me. Excited me.
“I didn’t realize that being taken by you was the thing that I needed most.”
Olerra brought their clasped hands to her lips and kissed the back of his hand.
“You need never be alone again,” she said.
He knew she meant it.
Thunder rumbled through the room, which was strange considering there was no storm. A second later, the door was kicked off its hinges.
The first face Sanos saw was Athon’s. He was quickly followed by Glenaerys, and then members of her personal guard filtered in behind the pair.
“What are you doing?” Olerra demanded. Her hand went to her hip, but she didn’t have any weapons on her. She’d taken them off for the evening while the two enjoyed their alone time. Sanos swiveled his head around the room, trying to tell where she’d dropped them so he could get them for her. Or use them himself. Whichever seemed more prudent at the time.
“Cousin,” Glenaerys said. Then she turned to Sanos. “Prince. Look at you out of your manacles. Alone with Olerra. Who is still breathing.”
“Is she?” he said with exaggerated sarcasm. “I hadn’t noticed.”
