Page 97 of The Nymph Prince

“You should spare yourself the pain and hand me over to him,” Alek snarled before downing the contents of his goblet. He peered into the cup before standing on wobbly legs and reaching for the pitcher of wine.

Slowly, I approached him.

“You’re drunk.”

Alek laughed without humor. “Amazing. You miss nothin’, do you?” He refilled his goblet, and wine sloshed over the top with his unsteady hands. “Pray tell, nymph, does the king’s cock feel as good as mine?”

“Pardon?” It felt like I’d been slapped. Or punched.

He drank more wine before slamming the cup down. Although he stumbled, he made it over to me without falling on his face.

“You heard the question.” The smell of wine wafted from him, and he swayed a little in place. “Ever since we’ve been in this dreadful castle, you’ve been different. Spendin’ all your time withhim.”

His accent became thicker when he was drunk, and as some of his words slurred, they were harder to understand.

“It’s not time I wish to spend with him, you drunken fool,” I retorted. “He and I discuss war and tactics. That’s all.”

“No wonder he desires you.” Alek snatched a strand of my hair between his fingers and admired it before moving his glazed-over eyes to mine. Obviously, he wasn’t listening to me. “You’re beautiful. Intelligent. A stunning man with a biting tongue. Is he the reason you no longer sleep in my arms? Because you’d rather be in his?”

My distance had given him the wrong impression. Though…which would be harder for him? Believing the lie or hearing the truth?

“I do not desire him, Alek. You’re all I want.”

Alek’s chin trembled. “Then why do you turn away from me at night? Why did you sleep in the chair last night instead of our bed?” A tear slipped from his eye before more followed. “Is it because I haven’t said I love you? Because I do, Lorcan. I swear I do.” He pressed his head to mine as his body shook. “I love you so much that it hurts my chest. When you’re out of my sight, I can’t breathe sometimes.”

He’d finally said the words I longed to hear most, and he wasn’t in his right mind.

“I had a vision, Alek,” I confessed, stepping out of his arms.

He swayed before catching himself on the back of a chair. “A vision? Of me?”

“Of all of us.” Staring into his sad face, I didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth. He needed to have a clear head when I told him, not when he was drunk and emotional. “When you sober up, I’ll tell you about it. As for now? Go to bed and sleep off the wine.”

Alek nodded and brushed his fingers through his dark hair. As he stepped to the side, his leg bumped the chair and he staggered again.

“Let me help you.” I placed a hand at his lower back and slipped one of his arms around me so I could guide him toward the bed.

His weight was harder to carry than usual. I hadn’t been flattering him nearly a week ago when I’d said he’d gotten bigger. His shoulders were broader and his biceps were thicker. He was even a little taller.

Other than his training with Eva—and our nights tangled around each other—he hadn’t physically exerted himself. As he became more powerful, did his body grow stronger to contain that power?

With me holding most of his weight, Alek managed to reach the bed. He was still fully dressed, so I pulled off his boots before tucking his legs under the blanket. I covered the rest of his body and smoothed back his bangs so they weren’t hanging in his face. His face felt warm to the touch. Probably all the wine he’d consumed.

As I started to walk away, he grabbed my arm in a loose grip.

“Will you stay with me?” he asked, his eyes barely open.

Even though I was irritated at him for turning to wine to solve his problems instead of discussing his concerns with me, I found I couldn’t deny him the simple pleasure of holding him as he fell asleep.

After kicking off my boots, I crawled into bed and settled in beside him. He sighed and snuggled his face against my chest. I smoothed my hand through his hair, playing with the strands and wrapping them several times around my finger. I smiled at how long his hair had grown. He looked handsome no matter what, but I’d become fond of the length.

Within minutes, he welcomed sleep.

I closed my eyes and saw the dead. Humans, merfolk, all mangled together on a red-stained field. Fire scorched some of the bodies, while the others were pecked at by large black birds.

I snapped awake, staring up at the canopy that covered the bed.

No, sleep would not find me well that night. I feared I’d never rest easy again. Not until after the battle.