Gahariet ran through the possibilities in his mind. He hoped that the fight wouldn’t have to get nasty — he was a royal, after all — but he would do what it took to protect his mate, no matter what the cost.
Gahariet was lost in thought when he heard the door of his office slam open.
“She’s sleeping,” Olivier announced.
“I got a letter,” Gahariet said softly. “Maybe you should read it.”
“A letter?”
“From Marc.” Gahariet pointed.
“Let me see.”
He reached for the letter that Gahariet indicated was from Marc.
Olivier read the single sentence there and snorted. “Phuong is not his property.”
“It means that he’s discovered that the simulacrum isn’t her.”
“Good. Then I can just let it dissolve. It was taking a lot of energy, anyway.” Olivier closed his eyes. “It’s gone now, just so much smoke.”
“Not everything about this is going to be resolved that easily, Olivier,” Gahariet warned.
“Marc can bring it. He thinks that he can take on two Thrones? Ridiculous. We will crush him.”
Gahariet didn’t sigh, even though he wanted to. His brother thought that if you fought as hard as you could, you’d always win. Gahariet was his twin, but he knew that even if they gave it everything they had, it was possible that they could lose.
Marc had shadowy connections to the underground market, which Gahariet didn’t like at all. The black market was unregulated and beyond their control.
“I’m starving,” Olivier complained. “Do you want to grab something downstairs?”
“Why don’t we eat in Phuong’s room?”
Olivier licked his lips. “Mm, I am pretty hungry.”
Gahariet shook hi
s head. His brother loved getting sweaty.
Gahariet did, too, of course, but he didn’t need it the way that Olivier did. He had a reputation as a playboy prince which was very well deserved.
“I’ll meet you there in ten. Can you grab the food?”
“Sure.”
Olivier walked out of the room while Gahariet arranged all of the paper in proper stacks. It was true that technology could keep everything much more orderly, but the older Draka were used to printing things physically, and they highly preferred actual paper for legal proceedings.
Gahariet tucked everything away properly before going to Phuong’s room.
33
Feverish
Gahariet
As Gahariet approached her room, he could hear the sound of his twin’s voice. “Your eyes are red.”
“Are they?” Phuong sounded startled. Gahariet began to walk faster towards her room.