Page 109 of The Freedom You Seek

“As long as you both keep your hands above the blanket, I don’t mind.”

I stared daggers at Rewi. “Traitor,” I mouthed to her, and she grinned.

“So, now that’s settled, go to sleep, Nayana. If I have to deal with a hungover you tomorrow, I’d rather do it with one that has slept enough.”

“Insufferable, bossy idiot.”

“Good night. To both of you.”

I huffed as Dion chuckled, and Rewi turned her back to me. Finally, I closed my eyes. It didn’t take long for the warmth and the general feeling of safety to pull me into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I woke up at the break of dawn, the two women in the bed still fast asleep. Allowing myself a few moments to bask in the feel and the fresh scent of Nayana, I nuzzled my face into her hair. Sure, I’d been an absolute bastard yesterday, but I didn’t regret anything. Every word I’d said to her had been true, and this was the hill I’d be dying on.

The kiss, though, hadn’t been planned. It’d just happened. Worst of all, it had almost broken my resolvecompletely. The way she’d melted in my arms, how she’d answered to everything I’d given her with more—and then some. I wondered if she knew how easily she could be my undoing.

Luckily, I’d been able to steel myself very quickly. My cock had disagreed, but I’d never allowed my anatomy to rule me before, no matter how much it ached. So, all things considered, I had only a few regrets. I’d carry that memory with me until the end of time, especially since I wouldn’t allow such a mistake to happen again. Crossing that line once, I’d be able to forgive myself. Crossing it again?Never.

Slowly, I unwrapped myself from the sheets and the tiny blonde woman and her grassy citrus scent. I got up, making sure not to wake both females. Moving around silently was something I’d mastered a long time ago, so I got quickly dressed before packing my and Nayana’s bags, all without making a sound. When I was done, I scribbled a small note on a scrap of paper.

Unpacking my canteen again, I placed the flask on the bedside table with the message that was telling Naya to drink. She needed to get some water into her system for the hangover that I was certain she would wake up with.

Nodding to myself in satisfaction, I left the bedchamber and went to the inn’s dining room to get some breakfast.

To my surprise, I wasn’t the first one downstairs. Instead, Fig sat at one of the tables, studying a piece of parchment, and he displayed afurious as fuckexpression. I sat down across from him.

“What pissed in yourporridge, Fig?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, his hand holding the paper shook.

“Fig?”

Still no reply. Whatever was written on the parchment must rattle him so much that his almost legendary composure was waning—hmm, now that I thought about it, that had happened quite often recently. But I wasn’t in the mood to exploit his state of mind because an unsettling and foreboding sensation settled in my stomach, and I started to shift in my chair.

“Godsdammit, Fiolar! Talk to me.”

Using his unabbreviated name finally got his attention. His eyes met mine, and they blazed with anger. With a fluid motion, he tossed the parchment over to me. “We’re officially on borrowed time. Read.”

Frowning even more, I picked up the letter and instantly comprehended that we were indeed in so much deeper shit when I caught the royal crest adorning the paper.Fuck.Deeply disturbed, I studied the message.

General Fiolar,

Your prolonged absence has been noticed, as well as who and what you have taken with you. By now, I can no longer safely presume that you simply forgot to inform me about where your extendedvacationwould lead you.

I grant you and your comrades another fortnight, not more, starting from the day I write this letter, to bring your affairs in order and return. Should you decide to fail to heed this summons, I will be forced to treat your continued absence as desertion and treason. Not only will eachof you and your comrades be stripped of your ranks within the royal army, but should you fail to surrender what my brother stole from me, I will punish each and every one of you most severely.

I will not tolerate your antics any longer and expect your swift return to the palace.

HKGFT

“Well—fuck.” What else could I say? I crumpled the paper in my hand and slammed it down on the table so hard the wood cracked.

“The letter was written six days ago.”

“I saw that.”

“We can’t go back yet.”

“I know.”