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Zane rarely went out, which was why he inwardly cursed his luck Friday evening when he found himself stuck at Fornication, the crowded bar downtown. They were on the upper level, overlooking the rest of the establishment, most of the Retinue in attendance to celebrate the Royal Consort's birthday.

At a bar.

It was everything he could do to keep his composure as there were hoots and hollers behind him—Rin’s cadet friends from the Academy. His twin brother was there too, as well as one of the professors from Vail, Bay Delmar, but the two of them seemed every bit as uninterested in being here as Zane was, sitting off in the corner, whispering to each other as though the rest of them didn’t exist.

Probably for the best. Zane had noticed Sila Varun’s…oddities, these past few months. Ever since Kelevra and Rin had gotten together, Sila’s presence had also been more notable, making it hard for Zane not to pick up on one or two…quirks.

He had enough on his plate without adding yet another psychopath or sociopath to this fucked up family of theirs.

And he and Kelevra were family, even if that connection was due to the fact he’d been sold off by his parents and gifted to the Imperial Prince the same way one might gift a pet. He’d be more bitter about it, but truthfully, being with Kel was a million times better than remaining with Mr. and Mrs. Solace.

“This is a shitty place to hold a meeting,” Ledger Undergrove said, not bothering to hide his distaste from his tone. He was standing next to Zane at the balcony, sipping some purple drink that was bound to destroy the man’s internal organs eventually.

He and Pavel were brothers, though they were the same age and had different last names. His parents, the Undergroves, had adopted Pavel a long time ago, but the two acted and treated each other like they were real blood.

Zane had always admired that about them.

And secretly envied their relationship.

“We’re at a birthday party,” Zane reminded.

Ledge clicked his tongue. “Shitty place to hold a birthday too.’

“Tell that to Rin.”

“I’d rather say it to Kel,” Ledger gave a mock shudder. “The Royal Consort gives me the creeps sometimes. Dude seems like he could kill you at the snap of—”

“Zane.” Someone tugged on the sleeve of his black dress shirt, cutting Ledger off.

“It’s rude to interrupt, little girl.” Ledger’s eyes narrowed on the woman still pinching the silk material at Zane’s elbow and then seemed to place her. “Arlet, right? Girl never knows when to quit.” That last part was mumbled, seemingly meant for himself before Ledge walked away to join a group at one of the pool tables.

“Can I help you?” Zane asked, not bothering to shake Arlet off. People didn’t often boldly reach out to him, but he’d long since gotten over having boundaries regarding physical touch.

“I wanted to say thank you,” Arlet began, sounding just shy of uncertain. “For helping with Muse.”

“I hope you’ve both learned your lesson.” Being reminded of that odd night only darkened his mood more.

“Oh,” she shook her head. “We’re not together. That was…We just play around sometimes. Clearly things went too far. I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t arrived.”

“Kelevra called me.” Zane tipped his head, taking Arlet in. She’d dressed up for the evening in a glittery silver gown that didn’t even reach her knees and eye shadow to match. It was pretty, in a disco ball kind of way. Not unappealing. It’d been a long time since he’d taken another girl to his bed…perhaps—

Zane heard the loud cracking sound to the right and reacted without thought. His hand lifted and caught the white pool ball just before it was about to connect with the side of Arlet’s head. His palm stung, but he held still, glaring daggers over at the table where the culprit was currently straightening from his bent position.

Pavel didn’t seem the least bit apologetic. He took his time handing off the stick to Ledger and then slowly rounded the table and approached.

Arlet had curled into Zane’s side, shaking as she clutched at him, but the other Retinue member paid her little attention.

“My mistake.” Pavel’s left hand lightly took Zane’s wrist, holding it still as his other plucked the ball out of his grasp. Once he had it, he rolled it absently in his palm, the hand still holding Zane dropping.

But not letting go.

Zane shook him off and scowled. “You could have killed someone.”

“Not someone,” he corrected, jutting his chin toward Arlet. “Just her.”

Did Pavel and Arlet have a history? It wouldn’t surprise him. Zane didn’t know much about the man’s personal life. They’d always sort of just orbited around Kelevra and the other Retinue members, not really coming into contact with one another.

Zane gently eased Arlet off of him, separating them by a couple of inches, but not going too far. She was clearly in shock from almost having her face smashed in and he wasn’t about to push her away. But that didn’t mean he’d be willing to come between her and another Devil of Vitality either. There were rules. Agreements.

Not messing with someone’s love interest—or plaything or whatever else they may be—was top of the list.

Whatever their relationship, Zane’s clear statement was well received, some of the tension draining from Pavel’s wide shoulders.

“Rin isn’t the type to overlook a murder,” Zane said. “You should be more careful.”

He snorted. “Rin is exactly the type to overlook murder, actually.”

“Not when it’s an innocent person getting killed.”

“Innocent?” Pavel’s dark brow lifted. “Her? You have an…interesting definition of the word innocent, Doctor.”

Kelevra and Rin were on the opposite side of the room in a sitting area, surrounded by most of Rin’s closest friends. So far, neither of them seemed to have noticed what was going on over here, but that wouldn’t last.

“Just apologize and let’s leave it at that.” Zane needed to defuse this situation.

“I don’t think I will.”

He frowned, admittedly, not expecting that response. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t feel like it. Besides,” his dark gaze finally turned to Arlet, “I’m not entirely sure it’s my fault. How can it be, when she isn’t even meant to be here?”

“I…” Arlet glanced between the two of them. “I didn’t mean to crash, I just wanted to thank Zane—”

“The Prince of Medicine is busy.” Pavel waved her toward the stairs. “Run along now.”

She must not have wanted to thank him all that badly, because she practically turned on her heel and fled.

Zane blinked after her. “One would think you were holding a blaster to her head.”

“Disappointed?” Pavel smirked and then moved in, immediately situating himself in Zane’s personal space. “You didn’t honestly think she was going to be the one who finally wants you, did you?”

He stiffened as he felt a rush of ice shoot down his spine. “What the hell—”

“Master Solace,” a clipped voice interrupted, and when Zane unceremoniously shoved Pavel away, he found Samuel standing nearby. The older man hadn’t been there before, and certainly wasn’t any more welcome at this than Arlet had been. “Your presence has been requested.”

Kelevra must have been paying more attention to their little corner than Zane had given him credit for, because he was already in the process of excusing himself from his Royal Consort's side and striding over. He clapped Samuel on the back, squeezing his shoulder and leaving his hand there.

“What trouble has my sister gotten herself into now?” he asked the older man. “And what possible reason could she have to be summoning one of my Retinue?”

It wasn’t often he stepped in, but Zane had noticed it was happening more and more frequently as of late. If he were braver, he would have asked Kelevra about it already. As it were…he feared what the Imperial Prince would say too much to attempt it.

Feared what Kel might have discovered.

And what he might not care about.

Kelevra had always treated him well, but that didn’t change who they were, or who the prince was.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss,” Samuel said, seemingly knowing that was the wrong thing to say. He was loyal to Lyra, gifted to her in a similar way Zane had been gifted to Kel. The major difference was how the siblings treated them.

Zane hadn’t told anyone else, mostly out of worry it would make its way back to the man’s sister, but Kelevra had long since released him from his servitude. He’d become a Retinue member as a free man, willingly.

Samuel was owned in every sense of the word. He only ever went where Lyra allowed and did what he was told. If not for the fact he enjoyed it so much, Zane might even have related to him or felt badly for him.

As it were, Samuel got off on bossing Zane around. Those orders from Lyra allowed him to pretend he held a higher station than Zane, let him get his rocks off and pretend to be important and in control when in reality he was neither of those things.

Unfortunately, when it came to Lyra, neither was Zane.

“It’s something you can’t even tell me?” Kelevra’s tone never changed, but the underlying hostility was clear in his body language as he shifted closer to Samuel. “Well then, since Zane is one of mine, you can go inform my sister that he’s otherwise indisposed at the moment. Whatever she needs him for, she’s going to have to find someone else.”

Zane’s multi-slate began to ring and his stomach rolled when he read Lyra’s name on the screen. Popping out one of the earbud attachments kept in the side of the device, he stuck it in his ear and accepted the call. “Hello?”

“Samuel is on his way,” Lyra said.

“Yes, he’s here already.”

“Good. I need you to come back to the Little Palace early tonight.”

Zane met Kelevra’s gaze. “I can’t. I’m needed here.”

There was a pause and then a sigh. “Surely my little brother can do without one of his toys for a single evening?”

He clenched his jaw at her description but didn’t dare say anything against it. That’s all he was to her anyway. A toy. An object she could use whenever she pleased. In many ways, she wasn’t wrong, but the major fact she always seemed to forget was that he didn’t belong to her.

“I’m under orders of the prince,” Zane risked, feeling a bit of relief when Kelevra didn’t correct him. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours—”

“It’s about Aodhan.”

That was enough to change his mind.

“I can be there in twenty minutes.” Zane ended the call and moved to join Samuel, only for Pavel to latch onto his arm. “What the hell? Let go.”

“What did she say to you?” there was a darkness in his tone that almost had Zane shivering.

“Preventing Master Solace from leaving can be considered—” Samuel didn’t get to finish his threat.

“Oh shut up,” Kelevra growled. “I’ve never liked you, you know that?”

“I am aware, Your Majesty.” Samuel bowed his head.

“That was your cue to go.”

“Mercy, majesty. I’m under orders not to leave without Master—”

“Enough,” Pavel was the one to stop him this time, surprising them all, including Kelevra. He inhaled slowly, seemingly collecting himself, then in a calmer tone continued. “I have had enough.”

Zane’s confusion was the only thing vying against his anger. He didn’t understand Pavel’s reactions and, more than that, he hated that it was happening in front of Lyra’s spy. Which was why, even though he wanted to demand answers, he found himself tearing away from the other man’s grip with a stern look.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you,” Zane said, barely holding onto the thinnest thread of control he had left, “but I don’t have time for this.” He glanced at Kel for assistance. “There’s been a problem with Aodhan. I’m needed.”

Kelevra couldn’t give two shits about Zane’s brother and they both knew it, but despite his…issues, he’d always tried his best to be a decent friend. Which was probably the only reason he gave in with a sigh and ordered Pavel, “Let him pass.”

In another shocking turn of events, it actually seemed like Pavel wasn’t going to comply. He merely stood there, staring at Zane blankly, as though trying to telepathically force his thoughts into his mind.

“Hey.” Ledger was suddenly there, awkwardly moving between his brother and Kelevra in an obvious attempt to shield him. “Stop it.”

The second Pavel seemed to be considering his brother’s request, Zane shoved past him. He darted down the stairs, Samuel hot on his heels. It wasn’t hard to locate the hovercar waiting for them, since it’d been left directly outside the front doors of the bar, the engine still running and everything. The Imperial family crest painted on the side was more than enough to prevent even the fleeting thought of theft.

Zane slid into the back, inhaling the strong scent of polished leather and black coffee—most likely because of the gallons of the stuff Samuel downed on the daily. He didn’t bother making conversation, twisting his hands in his lap as Samuel started up the car and pulled away.

It seemed the pretentious snob had other ideas.

“I’ll have to report this, Master Solace.” The prick didn’t even have the decency to pretend he felt bad about that.

“Just focus on doing your job, Samuel,” Zane replied coolly. “I’ll do the same.”

Because once he’d graduated and officially became the Royal Physician of the Imperial family, Zane planned on making the driver pay for all his taunts and underhanded remarks.

His palm itched to grab the scalpel from his messenger bag, mind already conjuring what it might look like to slit the man’s throat.

How the blood would spray and obscure the window in a violent, lovely burst of crimson.