Abyss - Book Five of the Alpha Series - MxM

Chapter 20

The morning session starts at the ungodly hour of whenever the desirables can climb out of bed. While I'm forced to awake earlier than any human should be required to dress in proper attire, I can feel the universal yawn traveling through the castle as the dreary-eyed staff begins the long process of making me look presentable. 

I'd forgotten the lack of privacy that comes with royalty, but the bath was much appreciated. The production feels over the top, though I suppose I was the first King this castle had had access to in half a century. My father had never allowed anyone to touch him, not as if they would dare, so the staff had been trained by the subpar royalty that filtered through. 

Much as it irritated me to have oil dabbed on my skin and my clothes tugged and plucked into perfection, I struggled more with the genuine disappointment my subjects felt when I tried to excuse them of their duties. To serve me was a high honor, and it was on me not to rob them of that. 

With all the parties and political schmoozing that had been working their way through the court, on top of my coronation, it seemed enthusiasm had died down, and all that remained were the hungover corpses of the wealthy and the exhausted, overworked staff who never agreed to this event in the first place. 

I had expected to awaken and find my warlord, and yet, it would appear as though he never came back last night. In my lamenting, I wondered if Ana had told him what I'd said, and he was avoiding me.

Yet they wait on me hand and foot, ever dutiful, ever willing to be the one to assist their new King.

I try not to pry as the servants file in and out of my chambers to complete their various tasks. No one has seen or heard from him since last night. Finally, Haryek appears, clutching a cup of coffee as if it were his very lifeblood, as he does his best to look regal despite his exhaustion. 

"This will be the first thing to go." He grumbles, snagging a cup off a passing tray and handing it to me. "Morning sessions are no place for a king. Here you go, drink up, it's going to be a long one." 

It would appear as though Haryek had decided he was much more necessary at my side than Loan. 

I can't help but inquire, "Where's Loan?" I allowed anything to distract from the growing panic that Verando had bolted. I'm alive, so surely he must be?

 I sip the hot brew and wrinkle my nose at the strong taste. The caffeine is rejuvenating, and my icy body welcomes the warmth.

Haryek flashes a coy smile, "Thoroughly wined, dined, and down for the count at the mercy of my sensational presence." I watch him for a moment, and he rolls his eyes. "We fucked. He's passed out." 

Practically spitting out my drink, I choke, coughing and sputtering as a maid quickly dabs at my face with a rag. 

"Come now, Nicolas, pull it together." 

"How did you manage that? He hates you, last I checked, at least." It's common knowledge that Loan had never forgiven Haryek for cheating on him, so to hear the pompous prick had defaulted to a pastime such as Haryek came as a total shock.

The Elf Prince shrugs, pausing my designer to snatch a vest out of her hands and trade it out with a different one. "I'm irresistible, is that so hard to believe? There are slim pickings in the land of God's word, Nicolas. We don't all have a lycan man ready to kneel before us." He pauses, considering how that made him sound as he swipes at the hem of my vest to fluff it. "Now, what's this I hear you're going to revoke your previous laws?"

Fillipa had made quick work of starting this process; she was not going to allow my power to slip through our fingers. A woman on a mission, it would appear. "I have to. I've signed away my rights, and you saw how it went yesterday. I need to regain some control. This court is full of elitists, and I'm at the end of a tether; they're about to cut me loose."