Once Upon a Time (Calluvia's Royalty 3)

Hugging him back, Rohan ignored a twinge of completely inappropriate arousal. He’d recently discovered that he had a… thing for Jamil needing him. It was a fucking strange kink he hadn’t even known that he had until Jamil. Maybe it had something to do with Jamil normally being so reserved and poised; the fact that Jamil allowed himself to be so vulnerable with him went straight to his cock—and his heart.

“What happened, love?” Rohan said.

“Prince Ksar,” Jamil said shakily. “He read my mind. I’m not sure what exactly he saw—I think I managed to make my shields seem low-level like you taught me—but he was so strong, Rohan—it was—I think he saw you—us—”

“Breathe,” Rohan said, kissing him on the forehead. “Just breathe, okay?”

It took Jamil a while to even out his breathing. At last, his muscles relaxed a little, his body going pliant in Rohan’s arms.

“Now tell me what happened,” Rohan said, his voice gentle enough but with underlying firmness and control. He had found that Jamil responded beautifully to that tone. Jamil liked it, liked being told what to do. It seemed to clear his head. Usually Rohan used that knowledge only during sex, but now it relaxed Jamil further. He knew Rohan was there for him. He knew he would take care of everything. Jamil didn’t have to shoulder all the responsibility.

“I came across Seyn and Prince Ksar kissing. Obviously I demanded to know what the hell was going on—that bastard had publicly humiliated Seyn just yesterday. But Ksar ordered me to leave. In my own home! Can you believe the gall?” Jamil sounded affronted and confused in equal measure. “And when I refused, he… he got through my shields.”

Rohan tried not to tense up. Jamil was stressed out as it was. He didn’t need to feel his anger. “How?” he said with a frown. The Crown Prince of the Second Grand Clan was artificially bonded to Jamil’s younger brother, which meant that his telepathy was limited. It shouldn’t have been possible for Prince Ksar to get through Jamil’s shields. Jamil was a Class 4 telepath now, as far as Rohan could tell. “You’re exceptionally gifted with shielding. A Class 2 shouldn’t have been able to get through your shields.” Rohan couldn’t get through Jamil’s shields when Jamil tried to hide his thoughts, and they were bonded.

Jamil shook his head. “There’s no way he’s Class 2. I felt him, Rohan. His sheer power was…” He shuddered, tightening his arms around Rohan’s back. “I never felt anything like that. I barely managed to hide my telepathic strength and the information about the rebels. He could have seen anything else. I’m not sure what memories he saw—it was brief—but from what he said, he definitely saw us.”

“Us?”

He felt Jamil’s embarrassment through their bond. “I think he saw the memory of the first time I sucked you off,” he said, his voice very prim despite his words’ vulgarity. “He basically told me to mind my own business or everyone would find out that I’m a whore who likes being used by a lowly servant. I think he got the impression that you were my servant from what you said to me while you fucked my mouth. Remember?”

Rohan’s body definitely remembered. “I do,” he said, clearing his throat a little. He could see how Prince Ksar might have gotten the wrong impression from that.

That was the thing about looking into an unfamiliar, incompatible mind: no matter how strong a telepath was, it was easy to get the wrong impression from flashes of different memories, especially if the telepath didn’t receive extensive training in the mind arts. Prince Ksar had likely seen Jamil’s memories of Rohan in a servants’ uniform and then saw him spouting that filth while they had sex— and had drawn the wrong conclusion. Although it was a relief that Ksar hadn’t bothered to delve deeper into Jamil’s mind, he shouldn’t have been able to get behind Jamil’s shields at all.

Interesting.

The Lord Chancellor wasn’t who he appeared to be.

Rohan closed his eyes and stretched out his awareness. He nearly flinched, sensing an immensely strong telepath in the palace. Prince Ksar’ngh’chaali. That must be him. His presence was muted, as if he was hiding his true strength behind shields, but those shields were flickering off and on at the moment, while Ksar seemed… distracted. Rohan had never met a telepath so strong. Ksar seemed stronger than even Warrehn. Fucking hell, could Ksar actually be a Seven?

Rohan opened his eyes. “Are you sure he and Seyn have a childhood bond?”

He could feel Jamil’s confusion. “Of course they do. I was at their bonding ceremony. Seyn was bonded to him as a newborn.” He paused. “Though they probably won’t remain bonded for long now if the Council approves Ksar’s petition to dissolve their bond.”