She gazed up at him, eyes still wide and dazed but suddenly somber. "What will you do, Damien," she asked softly, "when I choose Kyllian?"
The question fell between them. His entire body stiffened above her, the teasing lines in his face tightening. The warmth in his eyes didn't fade, but sadness swirled behind them.
"I don't know," he said at last. "Get an heir to rule after my father, I suppose."
"With your royal concubine?" she asked, trying to sound playful but failing miserably.
"Yes," he replied without missing a beat.
She scoffed, trying to keep her composure. "Pfft. I doubt she can give you strong heirs. She looks like she could snap in two if pulled the wrong way."
Damien's lips quirked in a half-smile, half-snort. "Is the princess jealous?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I know I have no right to be."
