“You should be grateful you were allowed to live at all! No one else suffers your kind to be born!” he shouted.
Nicephorus turned to Marius and signed.
“Take her to her quarters. I’ll decide on her punishment later.”
“Understood. Should I have one of the other knights keep an eye on Domina Daria?” the knight asked.
The praetor sighed, aggrieved, and shook his head.
“My spies will keep an eye on the domina.”
Marius nodded and dragged Alexandra from the room, a wild smile on her face.
“Domina, it is time we left.”
The domina obediently placed her hand in the crook of his arm as they left the dungeon and ascended the stairs. Brooding on difficult females, he now had the unenviable duty to lecture the prince on his sudden, inexplicable fascination with the one running wild in the palace corridors above. Sometimes, Nicephorus wished his obligations weren’t quite so thankless.
Chapter 24
Dariussatincompanionablesilence with his son, tumbler in hand, alcohol untouched. The days when Belisarius sought him out had been fewer and further between since Nadia had passed, and he wanted to be fully present for the rare occasion. He knew he hadn’t done right by him, and that their subsequent estrangement was due to his absence. He also knew that nothing he could say would make up for that, so he’d resolved to try now, in these rare moments when Belli let him in.
Today, Belisarius had asked to see him, a troubled look on his face. They sat on the veranda in Darius’ chambers, ostensibly playing a game of chess, the warm scent of flowers drifting by on the evening breeze. Belisarius had been losing terribly almost as soon as he’d placed his first pawn.
“I’ve just spoken with Nicephorus. Rather, I have beenspoken toby the praetor.”
His son’s eyes were dark, frustrated.
“Is it the magistri?”
“No. The military manoeuvres seem to be going off without issue. I don’t believe the magistri know what’s about to befall them.” He waved it off.
Darius smiled knowingly. If not politics, it must be love. Nothing else could distract his serious son. Had his late bloomer finally found himself tangled up in troubles of the romantic variety? Darius hoped so.
“I did wonder when you might have these sorts of troubles. Honestly, I was shocked you made it out of your teens without once being struck.”
Belisarius put his head in his hands and groaned.
“I must be a fool. I’m surrounded by advantageous matches, each one beautiful and flawless and entirely suitable. But instead I’m drawn to a harridan who delights in spitting in my face and driving me mad. Why can’t I be rational?”
Darius’ first impulse was to have a good laugh at his son’s torment. Belli had spent his whole life either coolly, politely rejecting the advances of noblewomen or sending companions away who thoughttheyat last had claimed the heart of a prince, rather than just a night in his bed. He had never, to Darius’ knowledge, been pricked by more than passing fancy or easily appeased lust. Dutiful prince that he was, he’d probably never imagined being overcome by love. Reining in his first impulse, Darius gave voice to what he hoped Belli needed to hear.
“Why not her? Why can’t the prince fall in love? Are you not made of flesh and bone like the rest of us?”
“I am responsible for the empire. I cannot afford to get carried away by…this. When the rebellion has been crushed, I will need to consider marriage in truth. Iwantto. If this has taught me anything, it’s that I need more allies. That never used to be a problem. I’ve known my marriage would be political my whole life. Except now…”
Darius’ heart ached. A father should be able to give his children everything he’d had and more. Belli deserved the same wild, passionate, enduring love Darius had shared with Nadia.
“Now the thought of other women is detestable? Unbearable?”
It could be no other way for a man in love. Belisarius nodded, shame twisting his features. Shame that shouldn’t be there. Darius took a deep breath.
“Your mother was in your position once. I was nothing more than a brawler, a reprobate and a flirt. I believe she used those exact words, actually. I lured her from the arms of a more suitable, upright, proper nobleman all the same. Nadia never regretted following her heart, Belli.”
Please follow your heart.
“It’s not about me, don’t you understand? The empire demands-”
Darius slammed his fist on the table, knocking pawns, knights, kings and queens from their squares and interrupting Belisarius.
