Riley's eyes widened, and he looked to Khalon. "You can't."
"I can, and I will. Or you will face a war," Pavoni snarled.
Riley shook his head in disbelief. "Do you realize what you're saying? You'd be sentencing the human world to death. Without the Soldati there to protect it, it'll be overrun by demons. You'd let an entire species die?"
Pavoni scoffed. "The human world is the Soldati's cross to bear, not mine. What happens to those pathetic creatures is not my concern."
"Not your concern?" Khalon fumed. "Who do you think the demons will come for next when the humans are gone and the wards are destroyed? The Soldati keep our world from falling into chaos. You not only risk your own people, but those of every realm."
To Toka's horror, Pavoni stepped up to Khalon, his voice a low growl. "I would watch the Soldati and every other realm burn just to watch your lapdog suffer. Decide. Turn over the foxling, or I promise you General Segreti and his army will be here before morning."
How could one man be so heartless? Toka shut his eyes tight, feeling the bile rise in his throat. He opened his eyes in time to see Khalon turn away from Riley, his eyes closed.
"Forgive me."
"No!" Rayner grasped the hem of Khalon's tunic. "Please, Khalon." His voice broke, tears in his eyes. "You cannot let him take Toka."
Pavoni marched over to Rayner and grabbed a fistful of his hair, jerking him away from Khalon. "Begging suits you, you contemptable creature." He released Rayner, growling out the words over his shoulder as he headed to his room, Prince Merlo and Princess Verity quickly following. "Come morning, I will have what I'm owed, or I give Segreti the order."
Toka scrambled to his feet, ran to Rayner, and threw himself into Rayner's embrace. The tears fell as his world came apart around him. He didn't know what he feared most, being taken by that beast or never seeing Rayner again. Rayner ran a hand over his head, over his face, as if desperately attempting to come to grips with what was happening.
"How can you do this?" Riley demanded as he faced Khalon, tears in his eyes. "How can you give Toka away like he doesn't mean anything? He's not a piece of property!"
"I will not risk war for a servant," Khalon roared. "You are not in your world. You are in mine. It's time you learn what it is to be a Soldati prince."
"If being a Soldati prince means giving people away, giving in to assholes like Pavoni, then you can keep your fucking title!" Riley grabbed the crown off his head and threw it at Khalon's feet. Toka saw Khalon flinch, saw the pain in his eyes, and the wetness that followed as he watched Riley storm away, leaving pieces of his princely garb along the way. He stopped halfway down the corridor an
d turned, a tear running down his flushed cheek. "You're not the man I thought you were. You should have left my soul in limbo. At least you couldn't hurt me there." Riley turned and marched off. A door slammed somewhere in the distance, and Khalon blinked through his tears. He sniffed and straightened, his gaze turning hard. He didn't look at them when he spoke.
"The law has spoken. Toka leaves tomorrow with Pavoni, after the flogging." Khalon turned and headed in the opposite direction Riley had gone, toward his study. The door slammed shortly after. The king's pained roar resounded through the hall and struck Toka's heart, as well as Rayner's, evident by his jolt. They were all magically connected to their king, and although they would not feel his pain the way Riley would, they could sense it inside them.
Rayner cupped Toka's face, his bottom lip trembling and his voice breaking when he spoke. "Forgive me. Please forgive me, because goddess knows, I will never forgive myself."
"I don't know what happened, but I know your heart, Rayner. I know you would never do such a thing. Can you recall nothing at all?"
Rayner shook his head. "No. I don't understand. I barely drank at the banquet, I'm sure of it. I have never lost my senses. I don't know how this came to pass, or why Merlo was in my room, why I was naked."
Toka ran a hand over Rayner's hair and kissed his lips. "You are innocent."
"I have to speak with Khalon." Rayner stood, and Toka followed Rayner as he darted into his bedchamber. He swiftly pulled on trousers and a shirt before running out of the room to Khalon's study. Toka was not permitted without reason, but what better reason could there be than the destruction of his life?
He slipped inside as Rayner marched over to Khalon, who stood facing the large window overlooking the gardens, the same gardens where Riley's favorite spot was. Toka sat in one of the wingback chairs and remained silent, his arms wrapped around himself.
"You can't allow this," Rayner said, coming to a halt behind Khalon.
Khalon didn't turn to address Rayner. He continued to stare out the window when he spoke, his voice calm. "We are talking about war with the Orso, Rayner."
"You know what Pavoni will do to him. Toka won't last a week at his hands. The man is a monster!"
"Rayner, I know you care for him--"
"If you know how I feel, you wouldn't go through with this. You're sentencing Toka to degradation and hell, Khalon. The only reason Pavoni wants him is because somehow he discovered Toka means something to me. He knows taking Toka wounds me more than any lashing could."
Toka closed his eyes, letting Rayner's words wash over him. He held back his tears, refusing to give in. Not here, not now in the king's study. How had Pavoni known? They had been so careful.
Khalon shook his head, but he said nothing.
"If this concerned Riley, you wouldn't think twice--"