at any given time necessitated the low temperature. He’d have to make sure Starling dressed more appropriately in the future or supply her with a cover.
Vieve returned with the blanket. He draped it over himself and Starling. She curled her legs so her knees rested against his chest and propped her feet against his thigh. A soft sigh left her lips and she relaxed into a peaceful slumber.
Bekion found his concentration returning. He shouldn’t be so affected by a woman he’d just met. And definitely not one that was his pet.
Chapter Four
Starling jerked awake with a scared gasp, clutching at Bekion’s shirt.
Bekion smoothed his hand over her back. She looked at him with wide eyes.
He asked, “Are you all right, my pet?”
She nodded quickly.
“You’re sure?”
The words wouldn’t come so she nodded again. Bekion covered her hands where they gripped his shirt. She pulled away with a mumbled apology.
“Nightmare?”
She whispered, “I’m fine.”
Someone cleared his throat.
“Shut up, Rois,” Bekion bit out with a quick glance over his shoulder. His features softened as he turned his attention back to Starling. “Perhaps I expected too much and should return you to my rooms for now.”
“Are you done?” She glanced at the two men and the woman who waited for Bekion to acknowledge them. The men didn’t appear happy, whereas their female companion seemed amused.
“I am if I say I am.”
One of the waiting men said, “Your Majesty! My lands—”
Bekion silenced the man with a single stern look that didn’t abate when he asked Starling, “Do you want to go back?”
“I can wait until you’re finished.”
“If you’re sure…”
It was slight but Starling could swear Bekion seemed as if he was pleading with her. She glanced at the waiting people once more then back to him. In a low voice, she said, “Stop using me as an excuse to get away from your work.”
Bekion stared at her for a little bit then laughed. “You think you know me so well after so little time?” He patted her back and laughed some more. “I needed that.” He settled against his throne. “Continue, Master Leidus.”
Leidus, the man who’d spoken out of turn before, bowed. “As I was saying earlier, Your Majesty, the will clearly states the land is bequeathed to me.”
The man beside him snapped, “Only because you convinced Uncle of a misdeed I didn’t do.” He turned his attention to Bekion. “Your Majesty, please. My cousin accused me of a crime I didn’t commit but our uncle believed him without proof. He changed his will and wrote me out of it.”
Bekion shrugged his indifference. “That is your uncle’s right no matter the reasons.”
Leidus nodded, making an affirmative noise.
Vieve held out a tablet to Bekion and whispered a few words to him. Starling didn’t catch all of it. She looked down at the tablet and was surprised to see she could read it. That shouldn’t surprise her since she could understand and speak their language. Reading and possibly writing it came with the territory, she guessed.
According to the tablet, there seemed to be some dispute over the land other than the one the men had presented. The second case belonged to the woman standing silent. Starling had thought she was with one of the men but the tablet said otherwise.
Bekion read over the tablet and then moved it aside. “Speak, Mistress Ebeun.” He signaled Vieve away.
Mistress Ebeun dropped into a deep curtsy then beckoned to the crowd.
A young boy raced forward and bowed. “Greetings, King Bekion. I am Mil. My mistress is unable to speak though she can hear, My King. If it pleases you, I will translate for her.”
Bekion said, “Continue then.”
Ebeun gestured with her hands quickly—sign language. Mil watched her while he translated, “The land these two men fight over was not their uncle’s to give. He rented it from my grandmother for a yearly sum.”
“He paid that debt in full,” Leidus
Vieve returned with the blanket. He draped it over himself and Starling. She curled her legs so her knees rested against his chest and propped her feet against his thigh. A soft sigh left her lips and she relaxed into a peaceful slumber.
Bekion found his concentration returning. He shouldn’t be so affected by a woman he’d just met. And definitely not one that was his pet.
Chapter Four
Starling jerked awake with a scared gasp, clutching at Bekion’s shirt.
Bekion smoothed his hand over her back. She looked at him with wide eyes.
He asked, “Are you all right, my pet?”
She nodded quickly.
“You’re sure?”
The words wouldn’t come so she nodded again. Bekion covered her hands where they gripped his shirt. She pulled away with a mumbled apology.
“Nightmare?”
She whispered, “I’m fine.”
Someone cleared his throat.
“Shut up, Rois,” Bekion bit out with a quick glance over his shoulder. His features softened as he turned his attention back to Starling. “Perhaps I expected too much and should return you to my rooms for now.”
“Are you done?” She glanced at the two men and the woman who waited for Bekion to acknowledge them. The men didn’t appear happy, whereas their female companion seemed amused.
“I am if I say I am.”
One of the waiting men said, “Your Majesty! My lands—”
Bekion silenced the man with a single stern look that didn’t abate when he asked Starling, “Do you want to go back?”
“I can wait until you’re finished.”
“If you’re sure…”
It was slight but Starling could swear Bekion seemed as if he was pleading with her. She glanced at the waiting people once more then back to him. In a low voice, she said, “Stop using me as an excuse to get away from your work.”
Bekion stared at her for a little bit then laughed. “You think you know me so well after so little time?” He patted her back and laughed some more. “I needed that.” He settled against his throne. “Continue, Master Leidus.”
Leidus, the man who’d spoken out of turn before, bowed. “As I was saying earlier, Your Majesty, the will clearly states the land is bequeathed to me.”
The man beside him snapped, “Only because you convinced Uncle of a misdeed I didn’t do.” He turned his attention to Bekion. “Your Majesty, please. My cousin accused me of a crime I didn’t commit but our uncle believed him without proof. He changed his will and wrote me out of it.”
Bekion shrugged his indifference. “That is your uncle’s right no matter the reasons.”
Leidus nodded, making an affirmative noise.
Vieve held out a tablet to Bekion and whispered a few words to him. Starling didn’t catch all of it. She looked down at the tablet and was surprised to see she could read it. That shouldn’t surprise her since she could understand and speak their language. Reading and possibly writing it came with the territory, she guessed.
According to the tablet, there seemed to be some dispute over the land other than the one the men had presented. The second case belonged to the woman standing silent. Starling had thought she was with one of the men but the tablet said otherwise.
Bekion read over the tablet and then moved it aside. “Speak, Mistress Ebeun.” He signaled Vieve away.
Mistress Ebeun dropped into a deep curtsy then beckoned to the crowd.
A young boy raced forward and bowed. “Greetings, King Bekion. I am Mil. My mistress is unable to speak though she can hear, My King. If it pleases you, I will translate for her.”
Bekion said, “Continue then.”
Ebeun gestured with her hands quickly—sign language. Mil watched her while he translated, “The land these two men fight over was not their uncle’s to give. He rented it from my grandmother for a yearly sum.”
“He paid that debt in full,” Leidus
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