find someone else who can earn my father’s approval.”
Cleve was hoping he could go back to sleep. It was only a few hours ago that they’d been holding each other and speaking of painful memories. His mind felt raw, like an open wound. But he owed it to Jessend.
He nodded.
She let out a breath, showing him red eyes over a troubled smile. “I’ll send someone to get you from your room.”
He got a little more sleep in his own bed before knocking woke him again.
He was surprised to find that Gerace was the one Jessend had sent. “I’m to take you to the throne room,” she said, easily looking him in the eye this time. “Jessend wants you to hurry.”
“What do I wear?” Cleve thought to ask.
Gerace invited herself in, reaching through his wardrobe and throwing a shirt and a pair of pants onto his bed. “And please use the mirror. Your hair is unkempt.”
Cleve started removing his shirt, and the redness he’d first seen in Gerace’s cheeks came back with a rush. She practically ran out the door.
“Come out when you’re finished,” she said into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
Luckily, there were no confusing straps to the buttoned shirt chosen for him, and soon he was following Gerace through the palace and into the throne room.
Jessend looked to be hiding behind her father, peering out around his shoulder. In front of them was a man Cleve assumed to be Kasko Lage.
This is who Jessend is afraid of?
He wasn’t much older than Cleve and quite short for a man. For some reason Cleve thought of Reela and how she was probably taller than Kasko, most likely even outweighing him. It could have been his nearly blond hair that made Cleve think of her. He wasn’t sure.
Kasko had a cheerful smile, open-mouthed with bright teeth. Jessend waved Cleve over and wrapped both arms around his right arm as she stood beside him.
“See,” Jessend said. “He’s big, so you’d better stay away.”
“Jessend!” Danvell Takary shouted. “You’re going to spend all day in the kitchen if you don’t start behaving.”
Kasko laughed merrily. “It’s fine, my king. Jessend and I like to joke.” He turned his attention toward Cleve. “So you’re my competition?” He kept his smile and held out a hand for Cleve to step forward and shake. Cleve didn’t see the harm and slipped from Jessend’s grasp to move toward Kasko.
Kasko grabbed Cleve’s elbow with his free hand and leaned in to whisper, “Such a strong man, but your skin cuts just as easily as anyone else’s.”
Cleve shoved Kasko hard. The small man stumbled backward dramatically, his face filled with shock.
Two guards pointed their swords at Cleve, edging forward.
“I don’t know where you get the idea you can act like that,” the King of Goldram scolded Cleve. “But if you touch Kasko again, you can look forward to spending the rest of your time imprisoned.”
Kasko shook his head at Cleve in disbelief. “I just told him that he should be ready for competition. I won’t let Jessend go so easily.”
“No,” Cleve corrected. “He threatened to cut me.”
Kasko gasped. “And he’s a liar as well!”
Jessend stomped her foot. “He’s—” She stopped her shout when her father folded his arms and glared.
The King turned to Cleve next. “Apologize to Kasko Lage and promise you won’t touch him again.”
“I’m sorry,” Cleve muttered. “I promise I won’t touch you.” A mixture of embarrassment and frustration made him boil with rage.
Kasko smiled nervously, playing the scared little boy all too well. “You’re forgiven. I understand some men can’t help but feel threatened by competition.”
Cleve bit down hard to keep himself from balling his fists.
Kasko cocked his head toward Danvell. “May I take Jessend out of the palace?” he asked sweetly. “I’d like some time alone with her.”
“Of course,” Danvell replied, his tone as if Kasko didn’t even need to ask. “Jessend…” He took
Cleve was hoping he could go back to sleep. It was only a few hours ago that they’d been holding each other and speaking of painful memories. His mind felt raw, like an open wound. But he owed it to Jessend.
He nodded.
She let out a breath, showing him red eyes over a troubled smile. “I’ll send someone to get you from your room.”
He got a little more sleep in his own bed before knocking woke him again.
He was surprised to find that Gerace was the one Jessend had sent. “I’m to take you to the throne room,” she said, easily looking him in the eye this time. “Jessend wants you to hurry.”
“What do I wear?” Cleve thought to ask.
Gerace invited herself in, reaching through his wardrobe and throwing a shirt and a pair of pants onto his bed. “And please use the mirror. Your hair is unkempt.”
Cleve started removing his shirt, and the redness he’d first seen in Gerace’s cheeks came back with a rush. She practically ran out the door.
“Come out when you’re finished,” she said into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
Luckily, there were no confusing straps to the buttoned shirt chosen for him, and soon he was following Gerace through the palace and into the throne room.
Jessend looked to be hiding behind her father, peering out around his shoulder. In front of them was a man Cleve assumed to be Kasko Lage.
This is who Jessend is afraid of?
He wasn’t much older than Cleve and quite short for a man. For some reason Cleve thought of Reela and how she was probably taller than Kasko, most likely even outweighing him. It could have been his nearly blond hair that made Cleve think of her. He wasn’t sure.
Kasko had a cheerful smile, open-mouthed with bright teeth. Jessend waved Cleve over and wrapped both arms around his right arm as she stood beside him.
“See,” Jessend said. “He’s big, so you’d better stay away.”
“Jessend!” Danvell Takary shouted. “You’re going to spend all day in the kitchen if you don’t start behaving.”
Kasko laughed merrily. “It’s fine, my king. Jessend and I like to joke.” He turned his attention toward Cleve. “So you’re my competition?” He kept his smile and held out a hand for Cleve to step forward and shake. Cleve didn’t see the harm and slipped from Jessend’s grasp to move toward Kasko.
Kasko grabbed Cleve’s elbow with his free hand and leaned in to whisper, “Such a strong man, but your skin cuts just as easily as anyone else’s.”
Cleve shoved Kasko hard. The small man stumbled backward dramatically, his face filled with shock.
Two guards pointed their swords at Cleve, edging forward.
“I don’t know where you get the idea you can act like that,” the King of Goldram scolded Cleve. “But if you touch Kasko again, you can look forward to spending the rest of your time imprisoned.”
Kasko shook his head at Cleve in disbelief. “I just told him that he should be ready for competition. I won’t let Jessend go so easily.”
“No,” Cleve corrected. “He threatened to cut me.”
Kasko gasped. “And he’s a liar as well!”
Jessend stomped her foot. “He’s—” She stopped her shout when her father folded his arms and glared.
The King turned to Cleve next. “Apologize to Kasko Lage and promise you won’t touch him again.”
“I’m sorry,” Cleve muttered. “I promise I won’t touch you.” A mixture of embarrassment and frustration made him boil with rage.
Kasko smiled nervously, playing the scared little boy all too well. “You’re forgiven. I understand some men can’t help but feel threatened by competition.”
Cleve bit down hard to keep himself from balling his fists.
Kasko cocked his head toward Danvell. “May I take Jessend out of the palace?” he asked sweetly. “I’d like some time alone with her.”
“Of course,” Danvell replied, his tone as if Kasko didn’t even need to ask. “Jessend…” He took
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