I Swore to Kill the Prince I Guard novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Sword Belt

"Stop," said Evander.

His voice was hoarse.

"Don't say it.

"Not about him."

Florian didn't say it.

He looked at Evander for a long moment with snow in his lashes.

Then he folded the ribbon carefully and put it back in Evander's hand.

"All right," he said.

"Not tonight.

"Come inside.

"I can't feel my feet."

Evander walked him to his study through the empty halls without a word.

His head was loud.

Basil had said he found the ribbon in the ashes.

The ribbon had never been near a fire.

Evander made up a hundred reasons before they reached the door.

The study was small and warm, with a fire, a deep rug, and a desk heaped with papers.

Florian shut the door and leaned on it, shivering.

Evander knelt and pulled off his wet boots.

He couldn't look at him.

"He held you," Florian said quietly, above him.

"You cried."

"Yes."

"I stood in that court and watched his window for an hour," said Florian.

"I'm not jealous of a kind old man.

"I'm jealous because you let him."

Evander lifted his head.

The prince was flushed from the cold, and his eyes were bright and dark.

Evander knew that look.

He had seen it in the bedchamber a second before he was told to kneel.

"I'm angry, too," said Florian.

"I'm going to put it somewhere, Sir Evander.

"And you're going to take it."

Evander's mouth went dry.

"Yes," he said.

"Then stand up and take that belt off."

Evander stood.

He unbuckled his sword belt, heavy leather tipped with brass, and held it out.

Florian took it and looped it once through his fingers.

"On your knees on the rug," he said.

"Hands behind your back."

Evander knelt.

It cost him nothing, and that was the shocking part.

For eight years he had held himself like a drawn wire.

He put his hands behind him and felt the wire go slack in his chest.

Florian walked behind him and wound the belt around his wrists, snug, and buckled it.

It was a soft leather bond, and a knight could snap it in a breath.

Evander knew it, and Florian knew it.

"You could snap it," Florian whispered.

"Yes."

"Don't."

"I won't," said Evander.

Florian bent and kissed the back of his neck.

Evander shuddered all the way down his spine.

The prince drew his shirt up over his head and off.

His fingers traced Evander's shoulders, the long muscles of his back, and the scars.

"You've never let anyone do this," he said.

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