Chapter 46: Mario - Let Me Love You
"Seliora," he acknowledged without looking up. "What can I do for you?"
She took a few measured steps into the room, letting her long gown sway just enough to draw attention. "I came to remind you," she said smoothly, "that I’ve reached my fertile cycle once more." She tilted her head, lips curving. "You should be in my castle tonight."
Damien blinked. "Should I?"
"Yes. As your royal concubine, it is my duty and yours to ensure a royal heir."
"I can’t," Damien said simply. The words fell from his mouth heavy enough to slam shut the air between them.
Seliora narrowed her eyes. "I don’t understand. Why not? Again?"
Her voice was cool at first. But the practiced patience of a woman who had been dismissed one too many times was beginning to unravel at the edges.
"I... cannot leave," Damien began, reaching for a justification, something halfway diplomatic. But then he stopped himself, jaw tensing. His pride, or maybe his confusion, refused to allow vulnerability tonight. "I don’t have to explain myself to you."
And with that, he gulped down the wine in the glass, got up and walked toward the bar cabinet.
Seliora’s lips parted, stunned at the brush-off. "The kingdom needs an heir," she said sharply. "The first time, you weren’t here. The next time, you claimed to be busy. And now?" Her tone rose, becoming sharper with each word, her delicate fingers trembling slightly. "What’s your excuse now?"