*Rafe*

The throne room is stifling. I’m not the only one who thinks so. All of us in all our finery are fanning ourselves, tugging at collars and sleeves, and just generally miserable.

It had to be a hot day. The nobles are already agitated from the heat, and I’m going to have explosive news of my own. This is a bad combination.

“Maybe we should have met out in the courtyard again?” Ainslee asks me softly.

I can see sweat beading between her beautiful breasts as she breathes in and out, and I want to call the whole assembly off and lick her clean. Instead, I sigh. “I don’t...