Page 3 of Suffer No Fools
"Let's focus on one hand, shall we?" Frost dropped Hugo's left hand and traced over the lines in his right palm. They ached as Frost's index finger followed them.
Hugo didn't know what to expect, but nothing happened.
Frost sighed. "I'm sorry. I've never felt anything like this before. It originates with your fire. Until you find your fire weaves, you can't touch your ice."
Hugo hid his disappointment with a smile. "I've had much more experience with sorrow, so it stands to reason I should have manifested ice long ago."
Stan poked his head through the doorway, confirming Hugo's assumption that he and Tovey weren't far away. "Niall's grandfather put a suppression weave on him. Do you think it could be something like that?"
"This is a block, not a suppression," Frost said. "I can feel his magic, but I can't reach into his core and draw it out, how I usually help my students." Frost grinned. "I'll have you work with Jasmine when we reach Aquarion. She's got more fire than ice, but she's learning to control both."
For a moment, Hugo had hoped Jasmine was a gorgeous young woman, like the fire weavers from Glamiere his mom had wanted him to date.
After Frost had bowed his head and Tovey followed him from the room, Hugo voiced his desire to Stan.
"Oh, she's adorable." Stan grinned. "She's seven."
"Seven?" Hugo felt sick to his stomach. "Gods, is anyone in my empire of marriageable age?"
Stan sighed. "I knew we were too old for you. I shouldn't have kissed you."
"You should have kept kissing me." Hugo couldn't keep the sharpness from his tone. "It's been a long day," he offered as an apology.
"It's not even time for dinner," Stan said.
Hugo ignored him. "Tomorrow will be even longer, after I finish this book Klaus gave me."
Stan bowed his head. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Your Majesty."
"You didn't." Gods, Hugo's body buzzed all over again from the memory of Stan's kiss. "Did you hear what I asked Olivia about you and Tovey?"
Stan snorted. "Aye. Hard to miss anything down here."
"I meant what I said about Olivia and Petri. I don't want to interfere between you and Tovey, either."
"I don't know." Stan's suggestive grin made Hugo's cheeks burn. "I liked having you between us."
"Is that something you'd like us to do again, Your Majesty?" Tovey stuck his head around the corner behind Stan.
Hugo's heart ached at seeing the two of them so close together, and yet so far apart. Tovey glanced warily at Stan's back, and Stan hadn't looked away from Hugo since he'd entered the room.
"Maybe some other time." Hugo still wanted them, but he was too embarrassed to ask again. "I think I'll take a nap before dinner."
"Sleep will help you recover your strength," Stan said. "We'll see you in the galley before our shift."
Stan and Tovey disappeared around the corner, but Hugo knew they would be within earshot. He snuggled in the sail bed with his book and blanket and willed his heart to slow.
As he read, he couldn't stop thinking about Stan and Tovey. Their proximity only made it worse.
#
Stan
Stan couldn't believe how quickly things had gone from bad to worse. First, it had been good. So good. He and Tovey seemed to be on the same page with wanting to help Hugo find his joy, and then ...
"You fucked it all up!"Tovey's harsh whisper had caught him off guard when he met him in the hallway after Olivia arrived.
"What, by asking him what he wanted?"
