“I would prefer to wake to you at my side than wake alone as you’re off arranging flowers,” he shared.

The ire swept from her face, she took her hands from her hips and leaned into both at his chest, her lips curled up at the ends.

“I thought I exhausted you last night,” she said softly.

“I thought it was I who exhausted you,” he returned, curving his arms about her.

Her expression grew serious.

“I cannot falter in my mission, Cass,” she said. “I must attack it with great fervor and no respite. For you. And for our girls.”

Their girls.

He slid a hand up her spine, and when it reached the area between her shoulder blades, he pressed in, bringing her closer.

“We have more important battles on our hands,” he reminded her.

“No, we don’t,” she disagreed.

“Elena, they’re but flowers.”

However, should she stop in these pursuits, he would be certain to have that drawing of Aelia’s remain where it was.

And fresh roses put by Elena’s bedside daily.

“I have had a home all my life,” she said, bringing his attention back to her. “You have never had one. Thus, I understand. You do not know how important it is, Cass. But when I show it to you, you’ll understand. You’ll understand there is nothing more important. But for the now, you will just have to trust me.”

He did not understand, she was correct.

However, he was not allowed to continue what had become a rather pleasant discussion with her in his arms, her gaze gentle on his face.

This because a scream rent the air.

They both grew solid before they both flew into action.

When another scream came as they reached the top of the steps, and it was coming from the west wing, his father’s wing, and not the east, his, Cass’s stomach dropped.

“You stay here,” he ordered, still sprinting at the same time trying to push her back.

“Not on your bloody—”

Her last word was drowned out by another scream, this coming from his father’s chamber, but Horatia was scurrying toward them, both her hands up their way.

“It is a matter between husband and wife,” she said hurriedly when Cassius was forced to stop rather than bowl her over.

His head jerked toward his father’s door when he heard a thud.

He moved, Elena moving with him, to round Horatia, but she shifted to block them, putting her hands to Cass’s chest and pushing.

“It is not your concern, my prince,” she stated firmly.

“You’ll get out of my way,” he ordered.

“You have control of a kingdom, but you must understand, you’ll never have control of a man’s bedchamber,” she returned.

She was bloody wrong about that.

Especially when it came to what was happening right then in his father’s.

He did not take time to discuss that with her.

“You’ll get out of my way,” he repeated as another thud that came with a sharp cry of pain could be heard from his father’s rooms.