Having overcome the disturbing events triggered by the Regent and Kastor, Damen and Laurent are finally crowned in their realms.
But a new enemy seems to be stalking the two lovers. On Laurent's 22nd birthday, strange events occur.
Is the Regent rea...
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Damen felt no less out of place in the capital of Vere than he had felt when he had been brought there as a slave.
Laurent was the king of this kingdom and this court, and when he wasn't there, the Akielon, with his chiton, his southern looks, and his characteristic gestures, was so discordant. There was the King Damianos. A monarch of a foreign land that, until recently, had been considered an uncultured, rudimentary, and barbaric nation.
And, what was no less bad, Damen would always be remembered for what had happened in Marlas. And the fact that Laurent had been united with him was too much of a scandal among the nobles of the capital, which lingered in broken silence. Auguste's name remained veiled in the mouths of the courtiers, for no one would dare broach the subject of the king sleeping with his own brother's murderer and parading around the capital with him like a young man in love.
This was one of the reasons why Damen and Laurent felt more comfortable in Delpha or Ios. There they felt unchallenged in many ways for what was private and fossilized.
After Damen left the king's chambers, he went to the wing where his soldiers were quartered and found Pallas with a new bandage around his wound soaked in sage and ointments. The Akielon soldiers stamped their heels in military deference as their king walked past them. Lazar, who left Pallas' room with his shirt eyelets open and a straw cigarette between his lips, also bowed solemnly to Damen.
Despite the turbulent night of the previous day, the men were safe and had suffered only minor injuries. Makedon was seen chatting with Loyse under a stone arch and laughed as the two engaged in some rather funny joke. The courtesan looked at Makedon with not lazy eyes.
Damen fervently hoped that the general would not forget the Veretian taboo and that the scandal of the Lady of Fortaine sleeping with an Akielon might not put her in a tough situation with the other nobles and her entourage.
Nikandros was still sleeping on his day off, having spent a whole night with Pari of Skarva and Isander and fought bravely against the brothel guards the next day. It was better for him to rest.
As Damen crossed the gardens, he saw Ancel in the distance, hanging on the back of Lord Berenger, who lifted him so the pet could reach an apple from a tree branch.
