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All of that kissing earlier was to fuck with him. He was sure of it now. Oriel did need him now, and Roth knew it.
A shady spot in the garden had a little table with wine and a couple of glasses. Oriel had to lean against his Master’s legs. While he focused on the little ball of anger in his chest, Roth stroked his hair.
“I bought this book on humans a few weeks ago,” said Roth. “They’re rather fascinating in some ways. Do you know they actually seem to separate themselves by what kind they are at times? They even have names for their types or races. It’s ridiculous.”
Who cared what humans did?
Roth didn't wait for Oriel to say anything. “I almost want to find a rifter and go visit to see their realm for myself, but I’m sure they’d all run and scream once they saw a man with cat ears and a tail. You’d pass for human even with your purple eyes, but my red ones would likely terrify them.”
The human men would probably try to gut him because they’d think he was some sort of devil.
“Ah, here’s our guest. Remember, be a good boy.”
Oriel glanced toward the sound of the footsteps on the path, and he froze when he saw who this new Lord Mather was. What the fuck? This was impossible. Someone would shout that he was an imposter, grab him, and haul him away.
But nothing happened. Aspen looked strange in trousers with a silk strip up each side and a yellow coat embroidered with shiny green thread and silk cuffs that were turned back. He was pale and still skinnier than normal, but he seemed almost all right considering his state when Oriel had last seen him.
Pure relief filled him until he saw the hate in Aspen’s eyes.
Chapter Ten
“Hello.” Roth stood to greet Aspen as he approached. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Aspen didn’t actually give a shit, and he was only here because Sira said he should meet this other lord’s adult son. He completely ignored Oriel, and barely managed the arm clasp with Roth.
It almost seemed too strange to be true, but maybe he should have expected that an Earl’s son would end up with a fancy pet. Oriel was the only slave to once be a Crown Prince. He just hadn't expected it to be this lord’s kid.
“I’m sorry about your Father,” said Roth, although the sympathy was probably all fake. “I only met Lord Mather a couple of times before, but he was quite pleasant.”
“Thanks,” Aspen grunted before his gaze slid to Oriel who flinched when he made a face. “Oh, you bought one of them slaves?”
“This is Oriel. The traitor’s son.”
“I heard about that from the servants. Why would you buy a traitor’s son? He’s shit.”
Pure hurt flashed in Oriel’s eyes. Aspen knew damn well Oriel wasn’t a traitor’s son, but it was best to go along with what he’d heard. Besides, Oriel was a traitor in a different way.
“He’s good for sex, and at least he's not ugly,” said Roth. “Oriel, crawl to those bushes over there and back.”
Oriel’s cheeks reddened, but instead of telling Roth to go fuck himself, fall in a ditch, and die, he started crawling. Aspen noticed bruises on his ass like he’d received the caning of his life. On his shoulders, he had two large brands. No wonder he didn't dare disobey.
For a moment, guilt, grief, and a bunch of other shit Aspen couldn’t name clawed at his insides while the man he once loved crawled. Then he remembered how Oriel clung to his Kingdom while Aspen was burned with a poker.
Oriel deserved this, but he didn’t see the once Crown Prince putting up with this for too long.
“He’s very well-behaved,” said Roth, clearly delighted with his control.
Aspen raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think Princes make good slaves. Too uppity. Just wait until you turn your back, and he decides he's tired of crawling around.”
“Watch,” Roth whispered.
Aspen tacked on a faint sneer for Oriel to see as he crawled back to kneel at his Master’s feet.
Aspen flinched at the movement when Roth suddenly jerked Oriel’s head back and made him gasp. Roth put his dagger to his neck just hard enough to indent the skin but not break it.
“See?” Roth raised his eyebrows. “He doesn’t fight even though I could end his life. He knows he’ll suffer if he doesn’t obey. Even a Crown Prince can be broken and made into a useful little toy.”
His tone held something dangerously close to lust as Oriel met Aspen’s dark eyes. A faint plea crossed his face.
