“It’smyjob,” Thomas repeated. “As Captain of the Royal Guard, the safety of the king and his husband is my responsibility. I’m prepared to do whatever’s necessary, and if that means breaking a neck or wielding a blade or throwing a body down a staircase, so be it.” He gave a shrug of his massive shoulders. “I didn’t get this job because of my ability to dance a gavotte, Evan.”
Hearing from his own lips that Thomas was not only fiercely loyal but had a pragmatically violent streak shouldnothavelit a fire in Evan’s belly like it did. That didn’t stop his cock twitching at the reminder that despite his reserved demeanour, the captain was a dangerous man. Itreallyshould not have made Evan want to bend over the table, drop his trousers, and beg Thomas to take him, please.
Evan took a deep breath and said, “Ourjob, then,” fighting the urge to clamber into Thomas’s lap and kiss him until they were both breathless. He gave himself a mental shake and pushed the burst of arousal aside. He hadn’t become the best at what he did by neglecting his duty and leaping into a handsome man’s bed—even if that man was also loyal and clever and had thighs like twin oaks that Evan wanted nothing more than to climb.
With an impressive display of willpower, he turned his attention back to the dick drawing. “I wish I understood this. Is it a joke? A secret signal?”
“You mean like ‘when the cock crows at midnight, attack’ kind of thing?” Thomas said, brow furrowing.
“I don’t think this is the type of that crows,” Evan said, “or attacks. But it might be some sort of code.”
“But what does itsay?” Thomas muttered, the crease between his brows growing deeper as he drew a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and laid the second sketch next to Evan’s. The drawings were strikingly similar, as if the original had been traced over.
Evan reached out and picked one up, turning the picture this way and that. “They’re not even very well drawn. There are all these little marks around the outside.” He ran a finger around the outline, pausing at the sets of two tiny circles set at intervals up the shaft and around the oversized circular shapes that were meant to be the bollocks, and sighed in frustration. He prided himself on being clever yet here he was, stymied by a badly drawn curvy cock. “I hate not knowing things,” he admittedquietly. “It’s literally my only job to know things. If I can’t do that, then I might as well join the regular guard and spend my time leaning against the wall and complaining about the hours.”
“Who’s complaining about their hours?” Thomas asked. “Is it Philip? Because he’s always been a grumbler.”
“I didn’t catch their names, but I overheard a few of the guards earlier today and they’re not all that happy. Having to work extra nights is wearing on them.”
Thomas jerked upright. “Wait. What did you just say?”
“I said they’re not happy having to do extra night shifts. Why?”
Thomas went very still, and Evan could almost see the wheels turning. Then Thomas reached out, picking up one of the drawings slowly and holding it up to the light, and his eyes went wide. “I knew this looked familiar! It’s the extra guards!” He put the paper back down and waved a hand at it. “Usually, we only have a pair on the main gate at night, but since the threat I’ve had two along the walls at intervals and at every possible entry to the castle. See?”
Evan did not see. “Thomas, it’s a drawing of a cock.”
“No, that’s just it!” Thomas ran a broad palm over the paper, smoothing out the creases. “This is a plan of the ground floor of the castle!” He grinned at Evan as one thick finger traced over the lines. “What we thought was the slit is the main gates. See that big oval that looks like a knob? That’s the main courtyard. And the castle itself does follow a slight curve, only you barely notice it because the space is so big. Whoever drew this just made it curvier. Those two giant bollocks? They’re the separate areas that house the kitchens and laundry and the staff quarters at the far end of the castle!”
Evan let out a long breath as he saw what Thomas was saying. “And those little circles are where you’ve posted your extra guards?”
“Exactly.”
For a split second Evan wanted to kiss Thomas for his brilliance, but then his mood plummeted as the implications of what they had discovered hit. Seconds later the smile fell from Thomas’s face, his expression turning grim as he reached the same conclusion. “Someone who’s planning to get in under cover of night needed to know where the guards were posted. And the fact they have this means there’s a spy in my ranks.”
“And it’s not me, for a change.” Evan rubbed a hand over his chin. “But this confirms that Calthrope wasn’t working alone, and that at least one person in the castle is working with whoever is behind this.”
Thomas turned the piece of paper over in his hand like he was gathering the nerve to speak. Evan waited, and finally Thomas said, “It’s not that I doubt your ability to find out who’s behind this, but maybe it’s time the king and his husband went on a trip. For their own safety.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, forearms flexing, like he expected an argument, but Evan was already nodding his agreement. “Excellent idea. Vasily is leaving to visit his family tomorrow morning. Perhaps Leo and Felix can tag along.”
Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose. “I say this with the greatest respect, but you being an idiot isn’t a total act, is it?”
“What? You said yourself that they should go on a trip. This is perfect!”
Thomas sighed. “Do you have any idea what goes into preparing for a trip?”
“Of course I do!” Evan said indignantly. “I travel all the time!”
“And I’ll wager you give the staff a day’s notice, and when you go to leave, your bags have been packed and your horse is ready, and you ride out the castle gates without giving a second thought to the poor sods who had to do all the work.”
That was closer to the truth than Evan wanted to admit. “What’s your point?”
“My point,” Thomas said slowly, “is that one man travelling is a lot different than the king and his husband going on a trip of indefinite duration. It’s not realistic to expect the staff to have the royal couple ready to travel in half a day. Move the trip until the day after tomorrow.”
Thomas’s commanding tone sent a shiver down his spine, and he couldn’t deny the wisdom in what he said. “You’re right, of course. We’ll delay the trip by a day. And once they’re gone, you and I can track down our troublemaker and deal with them in peace.”
Thomas gave the barest ghost of a smile. “You think we’ll be able to do it?”
