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“Besides you?” If I didn’t say it, surely he would. The amusement played on my face.

He huffed a laugh over the glass already tipping into his mouth. Once he nursed it, he admitted, “Seriously. I make no proclivities that I am responsible for the success of my kingdom. I simply stepped into the position, an already well-oiled machine. I’m barely even called upon for anything anymore. I live a life of leisure, and just so happen to have a title that gives me unfettered access to it. Whereas you, on the other hand…” He sipped again. “Have always taken your responsibilities seriously. You’ve done well by your people, Nick.”

“Not well enough.” I dragged a heavy palm over my face, burdened with the weight of failure.

“Hey.” Marco smacked my leg. “You think any ruler has ever had a happy, submissive people during the entirety of their reign? There’s always something. War. Famine. Differences in worship. A studly cousin who threatens to steal every eligible lady.” A roguish grin formed on his chiseled face.

A raspy laugh escaped me. “Maybe that’d solve all my problems.”

He shrugged a single shoulder before finishing the glass. “Always here for you. Now tell me, what does the future Queen of Highcrest look like? Paint me a picture.” He sat and fell back on the end of my bed. We both lay staring at the ceiling, something we did as boys.

“She—” I could barely begin the sentence. An awkward scoffing laugh came out. “Suddenly assigning a pronoun to a person I hadn’t considered could even exist seems absurd.”

“Go on.” He nudged my shin with his foot.

“She is loyal. To her people. My people. Kind. Full of grace—”

“Blah, blah, blah.” He flapped his fingers over his thumb. “You just described her role as a queen. I want to know who she is once that crown comes off. Once I leave and she becomes the only person you retreat to behind closed doors. I pray you will look for something beyond a duty to lie stiff as a board and let you empty into her.”

My heel met his hip with a considerable push. He jostled, but laughed it off. The kick was for his crudeness, but then reality cast a grim shadow over me. In a matter of months, there would be a woman in these chambers. In the adjoining suite, of course, but there’d be a silent expectation for one of us to visit the other in bed. The production of an heir. A blossoming lump in my throat hardened into a dry ball.

“Well?”

The irritation of that invisible thread tugged once more, and I didn’t want to remain on the topic. Gathering myself, I rose to my feet, extending my hand for Marco. “Keep me company while I endure party planning?”

He feigned adoration, placing his hand over his heart. “Why Prince Nicholas, I thought you’d never ask.” Then he slapped his hand in mine and I yanked him to his feet.

Marco and I reappeared among the throng of workers, and as if Ricks had done nothing but await my return, he briskly waved me over.

We both strode to the current conversation held between Ricks and Commander Druller, and a couple of his guardsmen.

“Your Highness, Commander Druller has another report for you, but you must deal with it quickly since I have three advisors standing by awaiting your instruction for the upcoming timetable.”

Commander Druller’s face greeted me with no jovial disposition. The lines of his face anchored, hardened by years of war and conflict. Unless something completely unexpected had occurred, I ventured a guess. “Another kidnapping?”

“We found a man murdered by the docks,” Sebastian said, his lips grim and flat.

“Well, that’s new.” Marco cocked his head back, assessing the commander and slipping his hands into his pockets.

“Murdered how?” I probed.

“Stabbed,” the commander exhaled the word, carrying no remorse over the circumstance. In his time, he’d seen plenty of fallen soldiers. This was nothing new, but the ease of his acceptance sent an eerie chill skirting over the back of my neck.

“And you don’t think it’s related to the kidnappings?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Doesn’t fit the pattern. He wasn’t someone I or any of my men recognized. Most likely a shipman passing through. We’re looking into it.”

“Ever the dutiful war hero. Why don’t you buy yourself something nice for all your troubles.” Marco withdrew one of his kingdom’s coins and flicked it off his thumb toward the commander. Sebastian slapped his hand to his chest, pinning the coin.

Marco and Commander Druller mixed as well as oil and water. Jabs and snipes accompanied every interaction, but I could tangibly see the boiling anger in Sebastian’s eyes. Truthfully, Marco was out of place by disrespecting my most decorated commander, treating him like his service was nothing more than a waiter in a pub.

Before words, or swords, could be pulled on one another, I stepped between, setting up invisible barriers with my palms. “That’s enough. Marco, Commander Druller is my most decorated soldier. His work shouldn’t be downplayed.” Marco scratched his eyebrow, looking down at the ground, and I knew he got the message. Hearing him actually apologize, well, I think the ocean would have to freeze over before that happened.

I met Sebastian’s scorching gaze. “That’s two deaths in a short span of time, and I don’t like that. You’ll have your men inquire. Someone killed him, which means someone knows something. If it’s gambling related again, I can’t have bookie’s thinking they can get away with murder. I want you to find them and bring them to me for questioning.”

Seb broke his malicious stare-down with Marco to give me a questioning look. His palm had been fisting that insulting coin so tightly that I half expected it to be bent by now. I imagined the lion insignia perfectly imprinted in his palm.

Our fathers’ family crest bore a lion in battle, and they were represented differently throughout our two kingdoms. Decoration mostly for mine, and their distinct symbol on currency. A reminder that Marco and I held deep connections, two sides of the same coin, so to speak.