KINGSLAYER

♕ 7 | 5 ♕

"Umm." Kyuwa slapped his shoulder harder this time, ignoring his still-healing insides. "Do not think I'll let that slide without comment."

"What?"

Rolling his eyes so hard only the whites showed, he said, "You're too self-aware to be playing dumb. You. And Milyena." He made a gesture from Alexander to the place she'd disappeared to and back. "It's quite obvious that she fancies you

"Really. I hadn't noticed."

He gave a sigh of defeat. "Come on, Alexei. You're not blind. She always smiles at you, always laughs at your jokes—which are not that funny, by the way—and only talks to you. It's as if I don't exist."

"Maybe she doesn't like you because you don't understand sophisticated humor." Alexander narrowed his eyes. "Are you jealous?"

"Of course I am. Who wouldn't be?" He was eyeing Alexander as if he had no brain. "She's ravishing. Every man our age pants after her. And you got the opportunity, though I haven't the foggiest clue why. I'm always right there too, has she not seen me?"

"Oh, she has. I expect that's the reason she hasn't given you the time of day."

Kyuwa scowled but said, "Don't tell me you're not going to pursue her. Or at least get to know her a bit more."

"I am not going to pursue her."

"Why?" Kyuwa whined like a child. "This is the one interesting thing that could have ever happened in this godforsaken place and you are passing it up. I cannot stand you." But then he turned to look fully at Alexander, black eyes narrowed. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"Oh no, you've found out about my lover from the outside and our secret love child," Alexander deadpanned. "No. I simply have no will to pursue her. You should be thanking me, now you have the opportunity."

"Yeah," he said as he grabbed his bowl of gruel and passed Alexander another. "Except I won't fit her type, as it seems to be crazy, childish and stupid."

They had not even sat down yet before Alexander took the first unsavory bite of his food. It was as bland as he expected eating paper would be. "At least I fit someone's preferred type."

Kyuwa grunted into his food. A few bites in, he waved his spoon at Alexander as a thought came to him. "Did you hear the Queen came back from wherever she'd disappeared off to?"

The world stopped at the mention of her. Suddenly, everything was sharp. "I didn't."

"Unfortunately, that's all I know. Although Tima swears she was raised from the dead a second time through whatever dark witchcraft lies in her veins. He tells a lot of stories though, since he gets whatever bits of gossip he can from inside the house." Kyuwa leaned in. "He also heard from the servant of a courtier from the palace that the Queen is going to ease up on us." He snorted so hard Alexander feared he would choke on his dinner. "Could you imagine?"

Though his stomach was an empty cavern, Alexander had lost his appetite. "I could not."

"I'd sooner believe that the family secretly loves and cares for us all over the Queen having a sudden change of heart." He piled in another gaping bite. "I mean, why the hell would someone like her slacken our load when we provide so much labor for free?"