Page 24

Noe had woken up this morning with hot tea being served to him by Luca, cuddles, and a makeout session. He’d been kissed before being sent off to work with promises of meeting up for lunch.

Very belatedly, he realized this was all a sign from the universe of how the rest of the day would go. Noe begged the universe to restart the day. He knew what the signals were now and how they meant he should have stayed in bed snuggling with his fiancé.

Please, universe, restart?

No?

Dammit.

Noe let out a long, gusty sigh and tried to ignore the glaring Petar subjected him to. His little brother had woken up in quite the fine mood and everyone knew it. Even his fellow students eyed him as if to ask what had crawled up his ass and died.

The festival was over and they were now in the middle of the work week. The students had more or less settled into their ryokans at this point. With the low temperatures, it was impossible to lay any stonework because the mortar couldn’t begin to set, so everyone had moved the work indoors. The blacksmiths churned out the metal supports needed, and the masons prepped the stones to be laid come spring. Noe’s job was to shepherd two students—in this case Petar and Nathan—around to the various places, introduce them to everyone, and double-check the supports and beams were the right size. Anything too short or thin would spell disaster later. They should be ready to install in the next few weeks, if the weather warmed enough to allow it.

So far, Noe hadn’t needed to correct a single thing. Shiireins were very careful people who paid attention to detail and kept things just so. They liked seeing him—they wanted validation they were doing things correctly—but it was rare Noe had to say anything other than “good job.”

Noe and his students left the shelter of the blacksmith’s workshop, then went to the next one because, of course, a single blacksmith couldn’t do the full job here. There were, in fact, six smiths for this project, each with their own shops, with a warehouse dedicated to housing all of the completed materials.

Nathan was tall enough he had to shorten his stride to keep pace with Noe. “I heard a rumor things were being stolen from the worksite?”

“That’s old news now, but yes, it had been an issue.”

Petar drawled in a silky, arrogant tone, “What, your pet fiancé couldn’t protect the place?”

Noe drew in a breath for strength and continued speaking to Nathan as if his brother hadn’t taken another potshot at his fiancé. “They called in General O’ Broín because of the security problems. He came as a favor, in fact. Warden Brahms requested him, all the kings involved thought it a good idea, and so General O’ Broín volunteered himself. Once he arrived, both Brahmses and several Bhodhsians went on a raiding party and set the Mong shipyard back by several months by destroying all of their ships. It’s given us enough grace to finish building here. We hope.”

Nathan cast a speaking look at Petar, which made Noe think Petar had been talking shit out of Noe’s hearing. Dammit.

“So he wasn’t even here when the raids happened, eh?”

Petar snarled something under his breath.

Since Noe had a willing audience, he decided to throw some more information out there to counter whatever allegations Petar had spread. “It makes sense, really. General O’ Broín was one of the three generals stationed up here during the war, along with both General Brahmses. He knows the area very well, having defended it already, and he’s very invested in the people here. It’s why his Shiirein is good, too, because he learned it during the war. He was willing to come here for two years and see the fortress completely built if that’s what it took.”

“Ahhh. All right, all right, context. I have a better feel for it all now.”

Petar’s tone turned even more ugly. “This where he learned how to bed a man, too?”

You know what? Fuck it.

Noe did a sharp about-face and squared off with his brother. “No. I taught him. You going to be an ass about that too, Petar? About me seducing straight men?”

His brother’s face was already a touch red from the cold air, but the way he turned almost purple with anger could only be blamed on his bad temper. “Yes, I can blame you. How the hell are you going to justify—”

“Whoa,” Nathan protested, jamming an arm between them. “Whoa, Petar. Slow down. You’re about to say things you don’t mean.”

“Oh, I mean them,” Petar snapped, trying to shove Nathan away.

Which didn’t work. The other man was about the size of a boulder and apparently had the same stubbornness. Nathan stood his ground and frowned. “Petar. Your own personal opinion aside, this is your brother . Your brother, who managed to find, against all odds, someone he loves and wants to marry. Why aren’t you happy for him?”

Now that was the question, wasn’t it? Why wasn’t Petar happy for Noe? Why couldn’t he see past his own ego and opinions to be happy for his brother? Noe truly didn’t understand it. If their places had been reversed, even if he’d been confused on Petar’s choices, he’d have supported his brother. Been happy for him. It was shitty in the extreme to come face-to-face with the realization he loved someone far more than they loved him. Noe felt his heart break, and he didn’t think it could be mended.

Petar ignored Nathan like he hadn’t even spoken. His eyes were on Noe’s, and they snapped with fire. “I don’t know what you said or did to that man to turn him gay—”

“Offered him anal sex. Once you start, you can’t turn back.” Noe abruptly snapped his mouth shut, horrified with himself.

Had he just said that? Out loud ?

Petar actually staggered back a step, like a lady about to faint upon her couch. Nathan, after a startled second, busted out laughing, nearly doubling over.

Noe kept his face straight, but mentally he cringed. Why did his mouth do this? It was like his impatience hijacked his mouth, and he ended up saying wildly inappropriate things he should never say aloud, and this time he had a witness aside from his family and—fuck. Just fuck.

Still laughing, Nathan managed to gasp out, “Warning taken. I’d been tempted to try a rent boy, just to see what the fuss was about—”

Petar let out an aborted scream. “Nathan, don’t you fucking add to this! I know very well you weren’t thinking that!”

“I actually was. Saw a rent boy in the window of a brothel the other night, and he was stunningly beautiful. I was more than tempted, can’t lie.”

If Nathan was serious, Noe might need to have a talk with him first, just so he took the right precautions.

Petar got into Noe’s face, barely inches apart, his temper at the exploding point. “Your degenerate ways are now affecting everyone else, good job. I’m appalled you can stand here and still not even see the issue! You’re turning good men into these spineless twits who aren’t even man enough to court a woman—”

The ice of the road crunched hard, someone running toward them, and Noe wanted to see who but didn’t dare take his eyes off Petar. His brother was on the verge of violence, and it didn’t feel smart to turn his back on him. Nathan kept Petar back with both arms around his shoulders, and even he was straining from how hard Petar fought him.

A male voice snapped out in warning, “Cease and desist.”

Petar leaned sideways to see around Noe’s head and Noe took advantage of the preoccupation by immediately skittering a foot back and to the side. It was a purely instinctual move because he honestly feared Petar would start throwing punches any second.

Finally turning his head, Noe realized it was Devaughn who had approached. Hopefully that meant backup had arrived? Noe didn’t know how to handle Petar when he flew into these rages.

Petar’s brows compressed and he visibly struggled to put the newcomer into context.

“This is Captain Devaughn,” Noe introduced. “He’s one of Luca’s most trusted men.”

“Yours too now,” Devaughn pointed out with a slight smile. He was tall enough Noe had to look up at him, but more slender than most Bhodhsans. His strength and movements put Noe in mind of a very large predator cat slinking about. “You being betrothed to our lord.”

Eh?

Ohhh. Right. Noe was still getting used to the idea, truth be told. Hopefully it sank in before going to Bhodhsa.

Petar stared at Devaughn as if the man had announced he only ate moldly meat and cheese. “You’re just accepting this?”

“Just accept it? Hell no.” Devaughn gave Noe another warm smile. “We’re relieved. Noe’s so much better than any woman our lord tried to court. He’s smart, has a good head on his shoulders, and isn’t one to cause trouble. You have no idea how few people in my charge fit those three points.”

“And the fact he’s a damn man, who your lord is fucking, doesn’t impact you at all?”

“Ah, good point. I meant to ask last time.” Devaughn turned to Noe and asked seriously, “The sex good?”

Nathan looked about ready to bust a lung trying to swallow a laugh. Noe felt his face burn, but since his sex life was apparently an open topic of conversation… “Amazingly so.”

“I figured. Word is, our lord knows how to please a lover. Never heard anyone complain about him.” Devaughn gave a satisfied nod. “Petar, is your brother being loved, and are his needs being met? He says yes. That’s all you need to know.”

“This is between me and my brother!” Petar spat out.

“Not anymore, it’s not.” Devaughn shifted to stand toe to toe with him, and considering he was a half head taller—all the Bhodhsan men were giants—it meant he loomed over the shorter Petar. Which clearly unnerved Petar, from the way his eyes widened and he swallowed noisily, but he didn’t move back. “Your words no longer impact just your brother. They impact all of the men, women, and children of my territory. You are speaking to my future lord. If you can’t say a civil word, then shut up .”

Petar’s expression was of a man enlightened. He clearly just realized something he should have already, but it was as if his mind hadn’t fully comprehended Noe was set to marry into nobility. Now, the realization was sinking in and he looked…horrified.

Without a word, he turned and started quickly walking back toward the town. Noe let him go without even trying to call him back.

Nathan pointed after him. “That okay?”

“Yeah.” Noe sighed, rubbing his eyes and wishing he had stayed in bed. “When Petar comes across something he can’t readily accept, he goes and shuts down for a while, just sits and thinks until he can come to terms with it. It’ll do no good to chase after him now. Leaving him be for a few hours will be more productive.”

Devaughn gestured toward the next smithy, who wasn’t too far away. “Let me escort you there. I’ll get Himself—”

“No, it’s fine. Petar’s upset me, but not to that point. I still need to show Nathan the full site, too.” Noe reiterated again when Devaughn looked at him doubtfully, “I promise you, it’s fine. I’ll tell Luca about this later. Come, let’s get out of this wind.”

He started walking, trusting they would catch up. Noe had half a mind to ask Nathan what all his brother had said out of his hearing, but on the other hand, did he have to ask? And did he want to know, in detail, what ugly things Petar said about Noe and the man he was quickly falling in love with? Noe decided it was enough to know that Petar was and didn’t want the details.

To his surprise, it wasn’t just the smith in the shop, but the Brahmses’ batman, Mr. Robert, and Sakura as well. She was in work clothes instead of the pretty kimonos she favored, with a smudge of something dark on her cheek.

“Oh, hello, Sakura-chan.” Nathan beelined for her, smiling. “What are you doing here?”

She replied in careful Trader, “I learn blacksmithing. Papa said I should know how to fix things and make swords.”

Granted, any lord of a castle would need to know this sort of information just so he could give the people doing the work the proper time and materials. It was so like General Brahms to know this and consider it vital for his daughter to learn as well.

“Is it interesting?”

Sakura grinned up at him. “Fun! Yashi-san is good teacher.”

The burly blacksmith standing nearby looked a bit blushy at the praise.

Turning her head, she looked Noe over before coming in closer and giving him a hug.

Noe rocked back on his heels for a second, surprised at the gesture, although he hugged her back.

“Your brother mean for yelling,” she muttered darkly. “Don’t mind, okay?”

Had she heard Petar even across that distance? Damn, no wonder Devaughn had come running to the rescue. Noe hadn’t realized how far Petar’s voice had carried. How embarrassing.

“Thank you, Sakura-chan,” he murmured.

“Here, sit.” She guided him to a simple wooden chair nearby before reaching into a bag hanging off the back, then pulling out something wrapped in a cloth and undoing the tie to reveal dango. “Have dango. You’ll feel better.”

Noe suspected her fathers were in the habit of giving her a little treat whenever something upset her, but you know what? Right now, dango sounded fine to him.