Page 98 of The Concubine King
“What are you doing here?”he asked stupidly.
“What?”She furrowed her brow.“I’m looking for you.You weren’t in your room, or the gardens or courtyard.”
“Oh.”
“Are you okay?You look pale.”Her grip tightened on his arms.“Did someone say something to you?”she asked sharply.
“Huh?”He couldn’t meet her eyes.He shook his head.“No, I-I’m fine.Why do you need me?”
“Let’s go to your room and talk there.”
He pulled himself onto the bed, watching as Poyut glanced down the hall before closing the door tight.She didn’t sit beside him, pacing instead across his rug.
“There’s…” She exhaled, halting abruptly and pinching her nose.“There’s a rumor spreading through the palace that you’re sleeping with Lyrian.”
Ethyr’s shoulders tightened.He grit his teeth and balled the blanket in his fists, trying to keep his breath steady.So much for Satya not telling anyone.
The king who killed one advisor and fucked the other.His reputation was flawless.
“I’m trying to keep a lid on it, but it’s circulating even among the palace guards and I…” Poyut sighed with strained annoyance.“I don’t have the respect or fear that I need to control it.I can’t dismiss them all from service.”
She looked at him and he forced himself to meet her gaze and look as guiltless as possible.
“I’m so sorry, Ethyr.It’s unacceptable.”
He swallowed the bile rising in his throat.“Is it?”he asked faintly.“I’m sure every king is the source of gossip.We heard it even in my village.”
“Not of this kind,” Poyut said grimly.“Not baseless, obscene accusations that undermine your character.”
He licked his lips.They were suddenly uncomfortably dry.“Baseless, of course.”He wondered if his voice sounded as distant to Poyut as it did to him.“I-I’m sure it’s only for crude entertainment.It’ll be forgotten in a few days.”
Poyut frowned at him.
“I have faith you’ll deal with it effectively,” he said.Surely she could hear how breathless he was?
“I’m trying.It would be helpful to know how this happened.”A chill ran down his spine.“Do you have any idea who might have begun such a rumor?Could it be Lyrian himself?”
“No,” Ethyr said quickly.From Poyut’s look, she was still in disbelief that he’d defend the man.“It wasn’t him.He wouldn’t.It ruins his reputation too, doesn’t it?”
Poyut sighed.“I… I suppose.It’s not… exactly the same.”
“How so?”
When she didn’t respond for a long few seconds, Ethyr continued.“Deal with it whatever way you need to.Just don’t involve Lyrian.”
Poyut pressed her lips together, but acquiesced with a dip of her head and left him alone.He sank down onto the bed and closed his eyes, exhausted despite the day only just beginning.Knowing every pair of eyes in the palace would be looking at him as a licentious murderer put the nail in the coffin of wanting to leave his room.Once again he spent the day in there, standing on the balcony to watch the clouds ebb across the sky.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A knock on his door in the late afternoon made him sigh.“Leave it by the door, I already told you,” he called.
“It’s Pyrma, Your Divinity.You must wash and prepare to see the gods.”
Right—that was today.His world was shattering around him but he had to pull himself together and be a smiling doll for the gods.The thought alone was exhausting.
He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples.“I’ll wash and dress myself this time.”
“But…”
