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“Or spending time with him,” said the other. “Seems like Felix is just trying to take care of him.”
“The last I saw him, I thought he wasn’t looking his best.”
“I might have heard some rumors from someone who knows the servants.”
“Yeah…something about the Queen being too harsh on her children,” said the first. “Isn’t that right?”
“Yep, and I heard His Majesty has been particularly ill-looking lately. I got a cousin who’s friends with someone at the Castle.”
The Queen turned crimson as she glared at them. “Who’s the Queen here? Who pays your wages and ensures you have food for your children?”
“Maybe you should have ensured His Majesty was eating enough food. I could get work elsewhere.” The first tugged up his belt. “Oh, yeah, I heard you let out a dangerous criminal too.”
The guards at the prison must have been talking, and if a couple of the servants had started gossiping since last night…rumors have a way of getting around like a fire that no one can control. Besides, someone must have noticed odd things over the years and whispered to friends here and there.
“Arrest him, or you can look for work elsewhere.” The Queen pointed at Felix. “If you think I’m lying-”
Both guards started undoing the straps on the side of their basic leather armor that had the crest stamped on the front. It must have been issued for work, and the Queen gaped when they threw the armor down at her feet.
“Have a good day, m’lady.”
They both went around the carriage and started down the road together. The driver’s eyes were enormous, but when the Queen glanced at him, he quickly looked ahead like he hadn’t been paying attention.
She turned to Felix who was fighting to keep his face placid. Without another word, she got into the carriage, slammed the door, and banged on the inside. The driver flicked the reins, and Felix hurried to go back inside.
“Holy shit,” he muttered to himself.
Chapter Twenty-One
Rainier held the cup of pink juice and squinted. “What is it?”
“It’s mellyball juice. I pressed it. I added the juice from a few strawberries too.”
“Thanks, but you didn’t have to do that.”
“Nah. It’s fine. I bought a little hand press in town.” Felix got into bed next to him and brushed back his damp hair since he’d bathed. Inky was curled up at the foot of the bed. “Er, you were sleeping, so I guess you heard nothing.”
“Heard what?”
Felix explained how Mum had visited and tried to have him arrested. Rainier almost forgot about the glass in his hand.
“If she comes back, stay inside. If anyone tries to get in-”
“I think I’ll be fine. They don’t want to obey her. Not for stuff like that. People are talking, and I bet those two guards will tell their buddies what happened because they’ll want to know why they’re not at work. It’ll spread, and maybe she’ll even back off of you because she knows people don’t approve of the abuse.”
“She’s not abusing me.”
“Yes, she is! I didn’t actually think of it that way at first, but she is.”
Rainier shook his head. “She’s not beating me up.”
“Would you say stuff like that to me? Would you tell me I’m fat or try to control me in ways we didn’t agree on?”
“No, but that’s also different.”
Felix folded his arms. “How is that different?”
“Because a sexual relationship isn’t the same.” Rainier tried to gather his thoughts for a moment. “A submissive puts a lot of trust in a dominant to do things. As your dominant, I have a lot of influence, and you typically look to me in the bedroom for direction or guidance, and you do things you know I want.”
