Page 39 of The Gathering

She really hoped no one had noticed her absence.

“Hey, sis.”

Nyssa nearly jumped out of her skin upon leaving her room. She fell into the door as it shut, hand grasping onto her chest. Dorian was leaned against the wall on the other side, foot propped up, munching on an apple.

“Sweet fucking Arbina, Dorian,” she snapped, shoving him.

He laughed as he faltered over, but he continued chewing triumphantly on that apple.

“What are you doing out here? Why didn’t you just knock?” she wondered.

“Wasn’t sure if you still had your guest.”

She almost tripped, and Dorian grinned.

He pushed off the wall and stretched his arm over her shoulders. “I love that you were the first to fuck one of the foreigners this week,” he teased. “Gets me off the hook.”

“How—“

“You know, Drae thought perhaps Rhaif had pulled you aside to talk about meetings—“

“Shit,” Nyssa muttered, her heart stopping. “You didn’t tell her—“

“Though they did wonder where Falke left to.” He raised a brow down at her. “Good thing he wasn’t the only Blackhand missing.”

She noted then what he was wearing. Black skinny pants, his tall boots, a white and gold shirt dipped low on his chest, his thick black, high neck coat with the gold embroidery as lines on the torso. Golden crown tipped to the side like the casual Prince he was.

Nyssa looked down at her day dress. “Were we supposed to dress up?” she asked.

Dorian shrugged. “Thought I should look a little more Prince-ly after seeing the new blood in our castle.”

“Maybe I should go change,” she said, almost pausing.

But he shuffled her forward. “Let’s see what Drae has on first.”

“We both know that will be something extravagant.”

Dorian sighed in agreement as they met the next stairway, and for a few more turns and staircases, they didn’t speak.

“Was he worth it?” Dorian asked her after a bit.

Nyssa wrung her hands together, remembering how Falke had taken her to her edge with his tongue and fingers and spilled her over that edge with his quick cock.

“It was nice,” she shrugged.

Dorian snorted. “That bad?”

“It wasn’t bad,” she said quickly. “It just… Don’t you ever just want to feel something more?” she asked, and Dorian tilted his head at her. “Never mind,” she muttered. “I do think he was a bit upset that I wouldn’t go down on him.”

“A Princess on her knees just five minutes after meeting.” He tsked his tongue. “Not a good look for the reputation.”

“That’s what I told him,” she said. “I don’t think he expected me to talk back.”

“Maybe you should have teased him and left him after as punishment.”

“It’s an idea,” she considered. “Perhaps later if there are no better ones found after this banquet.”

Dorian laughed and skipped forward ahead of her. He held out an open palmed hand; his other hand swung behind his back in a mocking gesture like he was asking for a dance.