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47
D.J. Manly
Believe me, which head he chops off is very
important to me.
I rolled my eyes.
Anyway, he won t do that. He needs me,
remember?
Yes, okay but& don t you think you re leaving
it a little late, asking for me to go with you?
No, he said, still studying the maps.
Just no?
Just no.
What if he refuses?
Deplamer sighed heavily and glanced at me.
Are you always like this?
No& but this is important. It s my life!
Suddenly he walked over to where I stood. He
placed both hands on my shoulders. I know that.
Now relax. I promise you that everything will
work out. Okay?
I nodded. Okay.
Now either fuck me or go away and let me do
some work, he growled.
I left the room. I met Tommie Jacks, nicknamed
Jazz, on the way down the hallway. He had a tray
of hot coffee and some sandwiches. He nodded at
me.
I nodded back.
I doubted he had any idea I would be leaving
here with them day after tomorrow. And I had the
impression Lieutenant Jacks was not going to be
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The Disfavoured
thrilled about it.
That night, I paced my bedroom, eating only a
bite or two of the sandwiches the servant brought.
Deplamer was in my brothers bedchambers, and
he d been there now for over three hours.
I wondered if he d asked him yet. I wondered
how my brother reacted. I wondered what in hell
they were doing in there together.
I came out into the hallway. My brother had
posted two guards on the door, insisting that they
were not to be disturbed under any circumstances.
What in the world could they be talking about for
so long?
When the door finally opened, I raced around
the corner and waited.
Depalmer walked down the hallway by
himself. When he rounded the corner, I fell into
step beside him.
He glanced at me, but he didn t say anything.
So, you re not bow legged. I assume he didn t
fuck you.
He stopped. Maybe I fucked him.
No. My brother would never allow it.
He s a bottom if I have ever seen one. He kept
walking.
You fucked the king?
He chuckled softly. I ll never tell. Now, what
do you want, Myles?
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D.J. Manly
Did you ask him?
No.
No?
I didn t ask him. I told him. You ll be coming
with me when I leave.
Perfect, I clapped my hands.
Don t get too excited. He smirked. You may
end up bowlegged before three months is up.
He left me standing in the hallway, with my
mouth agape.
I was awoken by Keenan, soon after I went to
be. He barged into my bedroom and ripped the
curtains open. Prince. They are leaving.
I rubbed my eyes and yawned. Who are
leaving?
Depalmer. He says there is no reason to
remain here, that they should move out. He has
assembled his men who will meet up with our
army at sundown.
I muttered something under my breath and got
out of bed. What bloody time is it? The sun
wasn t yet up.
A little after three.
Three? I bellowed, As in three in the
morning?
Yes, my Prince. He came and stood in front of
me. It s three in the morning. Depalmer is an
early riser.
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The Disfavoured
He s a masochist. That& I couldn t quite find
the word for him. He might have warned me he
was leaving at this ungodly hour.
Prince, Keenan looked closely at me, please
don t be long away. The entire kingdom will be in
peril with your brother in charge. He will make
stupid decisions and& it will be a disaster.
You are here.
He doesn t listen to me, my Prince.
Well, you ll have to make him listen. Now,
have the servants bring me my clothes.
When I was washed and dressed, I found
myself standing in the big hall alone. Where in
the hell is he?
One of the servants brought my cloak. If you
speak of Depalmer, my Lord, he left a half hour
ago.
He left? He left without me?
He said to follow the water way and link up
with him and his lieutenant when you got around
to it. His men went on ahead.
Did he now? I grabbed my cloak. How dare
he treat me so callously! Is my vehicle ready?
The jeep? Yes, sir.
I walked out the front door, half-expecting that
my brother would rouse himself to bid me
farewell. I should have known better. He didn t
bother.
It was cold. I climbed into my jeep. I peered
51
D.J. Manly
through the darkness and let the jeep run a
minute. I blinked. I could have sworn I saw
something moving in the bushes. It looked like a
little man in a top hat. I shook my head and put
the vehicle into drive. I drove at full speed around
the river. I couldn t believe that bastard, the balls
he had to just go off without me. It took almost
two hours before I spotted the vehicle that
Depalmer and Jazz had arrived at the palace with.
It was an armoured truck that was totally
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