Chapter 373: Ten More Minutes

Chapter 373: Chapter 373: Ten More Minutes

Liam woke because he was too warm.

His face was tucked beneath Arik’s chin, one cheek pressed against the smooth skin above the open collar of his sleeping shirt while a heavy arm remained wrapped securely around Liam’s waist. One of Arik’s legs had somehow ended up between his, effectively trapping him against the center of the enormous bed.

The curtains remained mostly closed, although a thin line of morning light had begun slipping through the gap between them and stretched across the carpet in a pale gold stripe.

Outside, Agaron was already awake.

Liam could hear the distant movement of vehicles beyond the palace grounds and the occasional muted footsteps of guards crossing the terrace below their windows, but inside the bedroom everything remained still.

He inhaled slowly.

Smoky caramel surrounded him.

Arik’s scent had always carried warmth beneath its darker edge, something toasted and faintly sweet that became stronger when he was relaxed. The edge of warm stone had disappeared with Goliath’s body, leaving only Arik’s now. It had settled into the sheets during the night and now blended with Liam’s own scent of saint’s breath flowers until neither fragrance seemed entirely separate anymore.

Liam smiled against his husband’s chest.

It felt good.

There had been a time when mornings had meant checking whether the Gate opened or at least reacted to Arik’s ether, reviewing engineering reports before breakfast, wondering which ancient language Rubis would make Liam learn, or discovering that Arik had disappeared into another imperial crisis before Liam had properly opened his eyes.

This morning there was only a quiet room, warm blankets, and the steady rhythm of Arik’s breathing beneath his ear.

Liam shifted slightly.

The arm around his waist tightened immediately.

He froze.

Arik did not open his eyes.

"You are awake."

His voice was rough from sleep.

Liam tilted his head enough to see him.

"No, I’m not."

"Excellent."

Arik pulled him closer.

Liam laughed softly as his nose was pressed against Arik’s throat.

"That was easy."

Arik’s hand slid beneath the loose hem of Liam’s sleeping shirt and settled against the small of his back, warm palm spanning nearly the entire width of it.

"You should go back to sleep."

"We have a schedule."

"We always have a schedule."

"That sounded dangerously like you were considering ignoring it."

Arik opened one golden eye.

"I am Emperor of Nuria."

Liam lifted his head farther.

"You have started using that excuse far too often."

"It remains effective."

"Not against Severin."

That earned a quiet groan.

Liam smiled and shifted higher until he could rest his chin against Arik’s chest. His husband’s black hair was thoroughly disordered, several strands crossing his forehead in a way Rubis would never permit during waking hours, and the faint shadow along his jaw made him look considerably less polished than the man who had stepped from the aircraft beneath half of Agaron’s cameras.

Liam preferred him like this.

Arik noticed the staring.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"That is never true."

Liam reached up and pushed a strand of hair away from his eyes.

"I was appreciating my husband."

Arik’s expression softened immediately.

"That is acceptable."

"Generous."

His hand caught Liam’s wrist before he could pull away and brought his fingers to his mouth, pressing a slow kiss against his knuckles.

Liam watched him for a moment.

A year and a half ago, waking beside someone would have felt foreign enough. Waking in another country, inside an imperial palace, married to a man who had become emperor of an empire that had vanished from the world for seventy-seven years should have been absurd.

Instead, this felt more normal than most of his old life ever had.

Arik released his hand only to draw him closer again.

Liam relaxed against him.

"Do you miss this?"

"Agaron?"

"Yes."

Arik’s fingers moved lazily through the hair at the back of Liam’s neck.

"Parts of it."

"Your family."

"Obviously."

"The palace?"

Arik considered that.

"The kitchens."

Liam laughed.

"You escaped an academy tower for pastries. I should have expected that answer."

Arik narrowed his eyes.

"Mezos talks too much."

"You also told the story yourself."

"I was defending myself."

"You climbed down ceremonial curtains."

"There was no legitimate defense."

"That has never stopped you before."

Arik pinched his side.

Liam jerked and caught his hand.

"Violence."

"You insulted me in my own bed."

"This is Damian’s palace."

Arik stared at him.

Liam smiled.

"Technically."

A knock sounded at the outer door.

Neither moved.

Another knock followed.

Liam looked toward the closed bedroom doors.

Arik tightened his hold.

"No."

"You do realize ignoring it does not make the person disappear."

"It might."

A pause followed.

Then the outer suite door opened.

Arik’s eyes narrowed.

Liam already knew who it was.

Measured footsteps crossed the sitting room.

The bedroom door opened several centimeters.

Severin appeared in the gap, fully dressed in a fitted black Nurian uniform, his coat fastened neatly at the throat while a tablet rested beneath one arm. Behind him, two members of his security detail remained in the corridor with expressions of exceptional neutrality.

Severin took one look at the bed.

"You are both awake."

Arik stared at him.

"You are remarkably brave today."

"It is nearly eight."

Liam turned enough to see the clock on the bedside table.

They had, in fact, been awake for almost ten minutes.

Severin stepped farther into the doorway.

"You have breakfast with Damian and Gabriel, followed by the joint security briefing, and His Majesty apparently arranged a visit to the western training grounds before lunch."

Arik reached toward the nearest pillow.

Severin pointed at him.

"Do not."

Arik threw it.

Severin moved his head aside just in time.

The pillow passed within centimeters of his face, struck the edge of the open door, and dropped into the corridor.

One of the guards outside looked down at it.

His expression did not change.

Liam buried his face against Arik’s chest, shoulders shaking.

Severin slowly turned toward the pillow.

Then back toward Arik.

"You nearly hit me."

"That was the intention."

"I am your commander."

"You entered my bedroom."

"I knocked twice."

"You failed to wait for permission."

"You were ignoring me."

"For a reason."

Severin looked toward Liam, who was still laughing.

"Your Majesty, perhaps you can explain to your husband that imperial scheduling continues to exist even when he is comfortable."

Liam lifted his head.

"I agree with him."

Arik looked betrayed.

"You were enjoying this."

"I still am."

"Then defend me."

"You threw a pillow at your commander for reminding you about breakfast."

"He interrupted us."

Severin checked his tablet.

"You have fifteen minutes."

Arik’s eyebrows rose.

"Twenty."

"Fifteen."

"I am emperor."

"Of Nuria. We are currently in Agaron, and Damian requested you downstairs at eight fifteen."

Liam bit his lip.

Arik stared at Severin with the expression of a man discovering serious flaws in international sovereignty.

Severin smiled faintly.

"Fourteen minutes now."

Another pillow flew.

This time Severin closed the door before it reached him.

The soft impact landed against the wood.

Silence returned.

Liam looked at the door.

Then at Arik.

"You are going to run out of pillows."

"I can buy more."

"That is not the lesson."

Arik rolled onto his back with a long sigh.

Liam immediately climbed halfway over him and settled his cheek against his chest again.

Arik looked down.

"We have fourteen minutes."

"Thirteen now."

"You are becoming as bad as Severin."

"Then stop wasting them."

Arik’s arms closed around him.

Outside the bedroom, Severin’s muffled voice carried through the door.

"I can hear you."

Arik reached blindly toward the remaining pillow.

Liam caught his wrist before another piece of bedding became a projectile.

"Peaceful life," he reminded him.

Arik looked at him.

"Peace apparently has terrible timing."

Liam laughed and tucked himself beneath his chin again.

For the remaining thirteen minutes, the schedule could wait.