Chapter One

“My condolences for your loss, your majesty,” Leyton murmured, not daring to look at the man he was speaking to. He wove the enthralling spell a little tighter as he bowed, hoping he wasn’t overdoing it. He had to be subtle or someone—possibly even the new king himself—would realize something was wrong.

“Thank you,” the king replied woodenly, and Leyton chanced a look up. King Mijah Kundashi was watching him, looking faintly puzzled, but nothing more. He’d remember Leyton later; that was all Leyton needed right now.

Bowing briefly again, Leyton turned and let the next of the well-wishers approach the king, heading slowly towards the doors at the far end of the receiving hall. He didn’t glance back until he reached the doors. The king was still watching him, curious, but he was easily distracted when the man before him spoke.

So it was working the way Leyton had planned—the king was drawn to him. Leyton just had to keep up his spells, get himself into the king’s proximity a few more times, and then the man would be hooked. It would be simple.

Stepping into the hallway, Leyton carefully straightened the jacket he wore, making sure it fell correctly as he walked quickly through the hallway towards the room he’d been assigned upon his arrival here. Ostensibly, he was a rich merchant from Samaria. It was risky to use his actual nation of origin and identity, but he didn’t know any other culture well enough to pull something else off. The room he’d been assigned was a long walk—on the opposite side of the palace from the royal rooms, gardens, and all the official meeting rooms and council offices—but Leyton welcomed the chance to calm his nerves. He could do this. He had to do this.

Leyton paused when he reached his room, hesitating outside the door. There was someone inside, and Leyton bit his lip because he knew that aura. What was he thinking? He wasn’t supposed to make contact with Leyton unless it was an emergency or Leyton was fucking things up, which he wasn’t.

Steeling himself, Leyton let himself inside, frowning at the immaculately dressed man lounging in the chair of the room’s little breakfast table. Lord Baron Ormond Grenville, Ambassador to Adina and next in line to the Duchy of Dazhoba, provided he managed to get certain provisions out of the new king of Adina. He was a handsome man, but that really just made things worse. He had perfectly coiffed blond hair that fashionably shoulder-length, striking green eyes, and a chiseled look to his face.

Leyton would have loved dearly to break the bastard’s face for him, but he couldn’t do that, not yet. “You’re not supposed to be here,” Leyton said flatly, crossing his arms and ignoring as best he could the smirk Grenville gave him.

“Relax,” Grenville drawled lazily. “No one knows I’m here. Everyone’s so busy with consoling their poor, grief-stricken new king to pay any mind to what I’m doing. How did that go for you?”

“Fine,” Leyton said, not elaborating. He didn’t make any move to get closer to where Grenville sat, just stared at him resentfully, hoping he’d take the hint and take his leave.

“I see,” Grenville said, finally sitting up from his indolent sprawl. “He’s hooked?”

“Yes,” Leyton said shortly.

“Good,” Grenville said, looking far too pleased. But keeping Grenville happy was good, even if Leyton hated every moment of it. “Wait a day or two before approaching him again. Keep it discreet. I don’t want him to realize anything is amiss.”

“I know how to do my part of it,” Leyton snapped, unable to keep his mouth shut. “Just stay away until I do.”

Grenville laughed, his eyes flashing dangerously as he stood. He was a good hand-span taller than Leyton, but nearly everyone was. “Watch your tongue, little hakarin. You’d do well to remember who’s in control here. One word from me would put your brother in a lot of misery.”

Leyton flinched at the Weisin slur for incubi, wondering how Grenville knew it and could say it so well. He didn’t reply, though, and Grenville laughed, insufferable smirk curving his lips again. Leyton really, really wanted to hit him. Curling his fingers into the sleeves of his jacket, he merely set his jaw and kept quiet. He wouldn’t get Liam hurt, not for something as stupid as hitting his handler.

“I’ll be in touch,” Grenville said, his tone pleasant and mild. “Do let me know if you need anything.”

“Of course,” Leyton said, the words falling flat. He wasn’t good at pretending everything was all right. Thankfully, the spells he cast did most of his work for him. Grenville gave him one last smirk before walking out of the room.

Leyton waited until the door clicked shut behind him to relax, sighing as he reached back and pulled out the ribbon holding back his hair. Then he loosed the buttons on his jacket, shrugging it off and dropping it across the back of the chair Grenville had so recently been sitting in. Removing his boots, Leyton eschewed removing the rest of his clothes in favor of sitting down on the edge of the bed and falling back against the soft covers with another sigh.

It wasn’t fair, of course, he thought dully as he stared at the ceiling above him. Not that life was, but at least it should’ve been Liam here instead of him. Liam was better at this, better at making whatever horrible circumstances they were in turn around and work for them instead. Leyton didn’t know what to do besides go along with what Grenville’s plan.

He could blame it on Liam; it was Liam who’d chosen to bed the man who’d gotten them embroiled in this mess. Politics, intrigue, and incubus did not mix. If anyone figured out what Leyton was and what he was up to, he’d be put to death. But if he didn’t do this—if he didn’t seduce and influence a king—Liam would die. Leyton had to do this, and he had to do it right, because even though it wasn’t fair, if Leyton fucked up, then both he and Liam would suffer for it.

*~*~*
Leyton frowned pensively at the flowering bush, not really seeing the blossoms in front of him. The new king was proving to be a hard man to track down. He was reclusive, which wasn’t really surprising considering he’d just lost his father and brother and had the crown unexpectedly handed to him. It just wasn’t making Leyton’s job any easier. There had been no broadly public events for him to sneak into and catch the king’s eye. There was no way of knowing his schedule, short of asking to see him, and that was too risky. Leyton had no reason to be talking to a king.

Stifling a sigh, Leyton bit his lip and tried in vain to think of some way to get closer to the king without drawing anyone’s suspicions. But he wasn’t a servant; he wasn’t high enough in stature that he could ask for an audience with the king; he wasn’t even sure he was allowed to wander aimlessly through the parts of the palace where the king lived. He had to do something though. Grenville was getting impatient for him to make a move, even if Leyton hadn’t gotten another visit from him since his first and only encounter with the king.

Turning away from the flowering bush, Leyton frowned disconsolately. He was going to fail without having really gotten any sort of chance to save Liam.

“You look about as happy as I feel,” a rueful voice said from behind him. Leyton froze, his eyes widening.

“I—” Leyton began, but cut off, unsure what to say to that. “Am I—I can go somewhere else. I didn’t mean to disturb you, your majesty.”

“You’re not disturbing me,” Kundashi said quietly, reassuringly. Leyton flushed a little—what was he thinking, offering to go away when the very man he needed to ensnare was standing before him? “Would you mind walking with me a ways?”

“Of course not,” Leyton said, unable to keep from fussing with his jacket. Should he go ahead with the plan? This was skipping several steps—he wasn’t supposed to meet with Kundashi yet, only tempt him from afar.

“You’re new to the palace, aren’t you? I’m afraid I don’t recognize you,” Kundashi said, sounding as though he truly regretted that. “Where are you from?”

“Samaria,” Leyton said, letting Kundashi set the pace of their walk. “I—my name is Leyton, Leyton Bennett, your highness—I mean, your majesty, sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Kundashi said, smiling faintly. “I keep thinking people are talking to my father when they say that.”

“I—I am sorry for your loss,” Leyton said softly, wishing briefly he could take Kundashi’s pain away. But that was a stupid thought, especially since if things went right, he’d be making Kundashi’s pain that much worse. “I wouldn’t know how to deal with it, if my brother—” Leyton stopped because that really was the exact opposite of sympathetic.

“I don’t really think I am, yet,” Kundashi admitted, shrugging inelegantly. Leyton blinked, a little surprised by the motion—weren’t kings supposed to be elegant and grand and full of grace and charm? “Why are you in Adina, Master Bennett?”

“I was visiting,” Leyton said, collecting himself enough to weave his spell a little tighter. Not too much so, but now that Kundashi knew who he was, he would seek Leyton out later. “I am visiting, I mean. My father was Adinan; he moved to Samaria after he married my mother.”

“I see,” Kundashi said quietly. “Do you travel with your brother? I don’t recall seeing anyone as striking as you the other day.”

“Um, no,” Leyton said, deciding against tweaking the spell any further. The king was complimenting him; that was plenty enough for now. “He was ill, back home, but he made me go without him rather than putting off the trip again.”

“Is that why you looked so sad?” Kundashi asked. Leyton flushed a bit, discomfited. How long had Kundashi been watching him?

“I worry,” Leyton said, wishing fervently that he were closer to Liam so he could be certain Liam really was all right. But that was a stupid thought to have right now. He needed to focus. “Um, I miss him. He’s… always been there, and most of the time I don’t know what to do without him here.”

“I know the feeling,” Kundashi said quietly, looking miserable for a brief moment before collecting himself. Leyton looked away guiltily. He shouldn’t be doing this, it was just going to make everything worse—but he had to. He had to.

“Tell me about your travels? Or your hometown, perhaps?” Kundashi requested, gesturing to a bench tucked close by. The arms and the top rail of it were wrapped with ivy that was blooming with small pink blossoms. Leyton nodded, waiting until Kundashi took a seat before sitting down next to him.

“I’ve only just begun my travels, sire,” Leyton said, casting about for a story suitable for a king. “I grew up in a small city in Samaria, just a few miles over the border. My mother inherited a lucrative trading business, shipping things back and forth between Samaria and Adina. Um.” Leyton paused then smiled. “I have been to Adina once before, though it wasn’t well-planned, and Liam and I barely stayed an hour before our mother dragged us back home.”

“Oh?” Kundashi asked, a faint smile curving his lips. He was a handsome man, though not in the strikingly handsome way of Glenville. It was subtler, and Leyton appreciated it a great deal more than he did Glenville’s looks. “Please, continue.”

Leyton nodded, hesitating a moment before telling the story of how he and Liam had squirreled away in the back of one of the shipping caravans and snuck across the border into Adina. “We were barely ten at the time,” Leyton concluded, remembering with a fond smile. “I remember we were terribly disappointed to find out that Adina looked exactly like Samaria.”

Kundashi shook his head, smiling wistfully. “You’re close to your brother.”

Leyton nodded, not voicing the obvious question. “He looks out for me, I guess? He always has.”

Kundashi didn’t say anything, just continued to look sad and wistful as he stared into the garden. Leyton felt another pang of guilt, but he quickly pushed it aside. Liam needed him; he wasn’t going to mess it up because he felt sorry for the man he was seducing.

“Shall I leave you in peace, your majesty?” Leyton asked quietly when Kundashi stayed quiet. Kundashi glanced at him curiously—he had lovely hazel eyes, Leyton noticed—but shook his head.

“No, I am enjoying the distraction,” he said, leaning back against the bench and regarding the sky solemnly. “Do you have friends here, Master Bennett?”

“Ah, no, sire,” Leyton said, a little startled by the question. “I was just passing through, and I stopped to linger when I heard? It seemed the right thing to do, to pay respects.”

“Even though you’re not from the kingdom?” Kundashi asked, not moving. “You owe Adina no loyalty.”

“My father was from here,” Leyton pointed out softly. “He lived in the palace before he moved to Samaria to be with my mother. I don’t—I know very little about him; he died when I was young, but my mother always spoke well of Adina. Though I admit, I didn’t think it through very well—my thought was just to pay my respects and move on; I didn’t mean to linger.”

“So why are you?” Kundashi asked, and though his tone was just simple, dull curiosity, Leyton thought he sensed something else behind the question. He shouldn’t have the king ensnared enough for anything other than a small draw… still, better safe than dead. Leyton carefully eased up again on the enchanting spell, loosening its hold even more.

“I—” Leyton ducked his head a little, studying his lap for a moment. “I wanted to see more of the palace? It’s very beautiful.”

Kundashi scoffed quietly, disbelieving. He didn’t call Leyton on the lie, however, just smiled a bit before the expression slipped away. “I was not my father’s favorite son.”

Leyton shifted, uncertain what to say to that. “I’m sorry?”

Kundashi chuckled, sitting up and pinning Leyton with a bright, intent stare. “I wasn’t his least favorite son either.”

“You… have another brother?” Leyton said, flushing a little. He really didn’t know anything about the royal family of Adina. “Um, I should know that.”

“I have a half-brother,” Kundashi said, smiling mischievously. It was a much better look for him than the sad expression he had been wearing, and Leyton smiled back shyly, unable not to respond to that look. “Older, actually. He was my father’s least favorite.”

“A, um, a bastard?” Leyton asked. The spell was working well, apparently, since he doubted Kundashi would normally have said such things to perfect strangers from another country.

“No,” Kundashi said, his smile widening a bit, and he really was enjoying this, for whatever reason. “He’s from my father’s first marriage. Unfortunately, he was born with magic.”

“Oh,” Leyton said, startled. One of the strictest laws in the Three Kingdoms—Samaria, Adina, and Riethin—was that no magic user could control the throne. That was the rule that made this little power-play so risky—and why, if Leyton was caught controlling the king, he’d be put to death. “That’s—so he couldn’t be the Crown Prince.”

“Or the King,” Kundashi said flatly, looking pensive and sad again. Leyton glanced away, tucking that tidbit away; Kundashi didn’t want to be king. He was unhappy about it, and he was unhappy about the deaths of his father and his brother, which really made it easy for Leyton. The spells he wove seated themselves much better in people who were unhappy.

“Are you close to your half-brother?” Leyton asked, trying to steer the subject back to something that would make Kundashi a little happier. Solely because it would help Kundashi associate good things with him, and not because he wanted to see Kundashi happier—Leyton barely knew him. He wasn’t allowed to get attached; he couldn’t keep Kundashi after he got what he was after. Rather, what Grenville and his backers were after.

“Very,” Kundashi said, a grin flashing briefly over his face. “He looks out for me and keeps me in line.”

Leyton flushed, wondering if Kundashi was poking fun at him. “That’s good,” Leyton said quietly. The half-brother wasn’t here, he couldn’t be—there was no way in hell he’d let Leyton anywhere near Kundashi, and any wizard worth his salt could spot an incubus or any other magic user from a mile away.

“I think so,” Kundashi said. “He never really got on with Ghalib, either. We spent a lot of time playing tricks on him when we were younger. We always got away with it, too.”

“Magic probably helped?” Leyton hazarded, smiling a little as he recalled some of the tricks he and Liam had gotten away with when they were younger. They’d been charming little brats though—a side effect of the incubus magic—so they’d gotten away with most everything.

“Oh, definitely, except when it was apparent that magic was involved. Then all the blame got pinned on Temel,” Kundashi said cheerfully. He paused, his good cheer fading as quickly as it had come. “I miss him.”

“He didn’t come for the funeral?” Leyton asked quietly, wondering at that. If Kundashi was as close to his brother as he said he was, then Temel should have been there. Perhaps he wasn’t as close to Kundashi as Kundashi felt he was to Temel?

“He couldn’t immediately,” Kundashi said, sighing softly. “He’s needed more in Riethin to keep the treaties and alliance intact there. He’ll be along in a few weeks, I believe.”

“That’s something,” Leyton offered, trying not to outwardly react to that. He had a few weeks—that could mean anywhere from ten days to almost a month. That was half the time he’d allotted to get Kundashi snared and the concessions Grenville wanted signed into effect.

“It is,” Kundashi agreed, even while his tone said that he’d much prefer it was something more. “I do wish…”

“Things will work out,” Leyton reassured, reaching out and covering one of Kundashi’s hands with his own. “It will get better.”

“You seem awfully sure of that,” Kundashi remarked, glancing down at Leyton’s hand with some amusement. “Do you know something I don’t?”

Leyton flushed, pulling his hand back. “Um, not really? But my mother passed a few years ago. It was awful, but it… it got better with time. I mean, that’s probably silly and not really reassuring right now, but it does get easier. Having your brother here will probably help.”

“Probably,” Kundashi said wryly. “And it does help. I wasn’t close to my father or Ghalib, not like I am with Temel, but I do miss them.”

Leyton nodded, then jumped, startled as a teen dressed in the bright blue uniforms of the royal pages stumbled out from behind a bush. He nearly toppled into the dirt of the garden path, but managed just barely to regain his balance.

“Your majesty,” the page said, dropping into a hasty bow. “Advisor Marklin says he needs to see you, and that it’s urgent.”

“Where?” Kundashi asked wearily. Leyton bit his lip, taking the opportunity to weave the spell a bit tighter. Kundashi would keep thinking of him after he left; hopefully that would be enough to get Leyton another chance to talk to him. If he could see the king again, he could start to weave suggestions into the spell to get him closer.

“His office. He’s meeting with the High Priest, sire,” the page said, still slightly out of breath from his run.

“Tell him I’ll be right there,” Kundashi ordered. The page nodded and dropped another hasty bow before bolting back the way he had come. “I’m sorry, it seems I have to go now.”

“I understand,” Leyton said, standing up with Kundashi. He offered a smile, pleased when Kundashi smiled back.

“Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask you to dinner? Are you planning to leave soon?” Kundashi asked, carefully brushing off the front of his already-immaculate jacket.

“I—I did plan to stay a few more days,” Leyton said shyly, startled that Kundashi was already asking him to dinner. Still, that didn’t mean he was going to let the opportunity slip by. “You are allowed to be presumptuous; you’re the king.”

“Well then, have dinner with me,” Kundashi said, reaching towards him and brushing his fingers lightly against Leyton’s cheek. “Tomorrow night?”

Leyton nodded, smiling a little. “Um—”

“I’ll send a page to escort you,” Kundashi said, glancing back towards the palace. “You’re welcome to go anywhere you like within the palace; the east wing holds a number of interesting rooms and works of art.”

“I’ll make a point of visiting there, first,” Leyton promised, resisting the urge to reach up and touch his cheek where Kundashi’s fingers had lingered.

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow night,” Kundashi said, giving him a last smile before turning and heading back to the palace to deal with the emergency.

Leyton watched him go, lingering in the garden a few minutes before starting towards the palace himself. He’d go spend some time in the east wing of the palace; that would give him something to talk about the next night, and it would hopefully keep him occupied enough that he wouldn’t think too much on how little time he had left to save Liam.

*~*~*
Leyton shut the door to his little room behind him, leaning against it briefly before forcing himself into motion again. The room was thankfully empty; he wasn’t sure he could deal with Grenville right now, not after he’d managed to completely work himself into a panic.

There was no way he could pull this off in three weeks—and that estimate was generous—so a week. He was going to screw up and get caught and not manage anything and Liam would suffer and he would die and Kundashi would get hurt and—

Leyton paced across the room, stripping off his jacket and tossing it aside. He pulled the ribbon free from his hair and glanced around the room, desperate for some sort of distraction. The room was the same as it had ever been: a small bed, a small window, an incredibly tiny bureau that appeared to double as a vanity table, a washbasin stand, and the small dining table-and-chair set by the wall.

Not that distraction was working. He’d spent hours exploring the east wing, and that hadn’t really helped to keep his mind off things. He wanted Liam here.

Well, there was something he could do, Leyton conceded. It was risky, especially if any magic users were monitoring the palace, but the whole damn plan was risky. Leyton shed a few more layers of clothing, letting them fall where they would, before sprawling across the bed. It was decently comfortable; he’d slept in better, but he’d also slept in much worse.

Shutting his eyes, Leyton relaxed as much as he could. The palace was huge; he wouldn’t have any trouble finding a source of energy here. Indeed, it didn’t take him long before he found a couple going at it quite enthusiastically a few rooms above him. He was careful about siphoning off their lust, making sure that neither noticed a thing as he collected the excess energy they were producing.

Incubus magic was a special brand of magic, much different from most. The energy an incubus needed to cast spells was almost exclusively drawn from lust. It was more potent if the incubus was creating that lust, but any source of it did in a pinch. The energy was also specific to certain types of spells: enchanting and enthralling spells that manipulated people into following the caster’s commands without any of their normal objections.

Leyton collected from three more couples and one young man getting quite ardent with just his hands, storing it all away before searching out his bond with Liam. The bond was unique; he’d never met another incubus with the same bond that he and Liam shared. It was muted, extremely so, because of the distance between them, but Leyton could still tell that Liam was alive, and that was some reassurance.

Feeding a bit of the energy into the bond to strengthen it, Leyton quickly felt out how Liam was doing before he could block out the things he didn’t want Leyton to know. It was still faint, but Liam was low on energy so he couldn’t boost it from his end. Liam sent a pulse of frustration and worry at him, and Leyton did his best to reassure him wordlessly, plying his excess energy down the bond discreetly so that Liam wouldn’t really notice it until it was too late to refuse it.

Liam seemed to be all right, at least. His captors were keeping their word and not hurting him any further. Leyton relaxed, simply enjoying the reassurance of the bond until Liam realized Leyton was feeding him energy and sent a furious burst of annoyance. Leyton grinned, pushing back a little and following it up with a large chunk of energy.

A sharp knock broke his concentration, and his hold on the bond slipped, Liam’s presence fading into the background again. Leyton sighed, completely overwhelmed by homesickness for a moment before he made himself move. Tugging on a dressing robe to hide his half-clothed state, he moved quickly to the door, his heart racing. Using his magic had been a stupid move, and he was going to be found out before he even got to completely ensnare the king.

Opening the door, Leyton frowned, immediately stepping back as Grenville stepped inside. Shoving his loose hair out of his face, he shut the door, unsurprised when Grenville grabbed the front of his dressing robe and shoved him back against the wall. “What?” Leyton asked, unable to keep from wincing on impact.

“You’re playing dangerous games,” Grenville snapped, slamming his back against the wall again. Leyton gasped out a half-hearted protest, but Grenville wasn’t paying him any attention. He let Leyton go, stalking away with a sneer of disgust. “The only spells you should be casting are ones to snare the king. You’re going to get your brother killed if you keep playing fast and loose with the terms of our agreement.”

“I did nothing wrong,” Leyton protested furiously, his hands shaking as he straightened his clothes. “I just verified that Liam was all right!”

Grenville regarded him coolly, obviously not moved. “Don’t. It’s a waste of your energy—”

“There are a huge number of people in this place,” Leyton refuted cutting Grenville off. “I can replenish easily and safely without anyone noticing anything.”

“I doubt it,” Grenville said, sneering derisively. “You’re not as polished as your brother is, Leyton. Take only what you need to spell cast on the king and nothing more.”

“No,” Leyton said flatly, unwilling to give up checking on Liam as well. “I’m not going to stop checking on him. I do not trust you and yours to keep him safe.”

“Oh, don’t worry your pretty little head about that,” Grenville said, stalking towards him again. Leyton stood his ground, even when Grenville crowded into his space. “You do your part, and he’ll be fine. Screw up, and we’ll make sure his death is painful.”

“I know,” Leyton said, stepping back and away from Grenville. “I’m well aware what’s at stake here; you don’t have to keep rubbing it in my face.”

“I think I do,” Grenville said, narrowing his eyes at Leyton dangerously. “I don’t trust you to not try anything if you think our resolve to do your brother harm is weakening.”

“I won’t,” Leyton said, frustrated. He crossed his arms defensively, frowning at Grenville. “I’m not going to risk any harm coming to him, and you well know it. If you keep rubbing it in my face, I’m going to mess up accidentally just from nerves.”

“If you mess up for any reason at all, he’ll suffer for it,” Grenville threatened, glowering at Leyton as if he wanted to throw him into a wall again. He scowled at Leyton for a long moment before visibly calming himself. “Use your magic for any reason other than ensnaring the king, and I’ll let his captors know to make his stay with them as miserable as possible.”

“Fine,” Leyton finally conceded miserably.

“Good,” Grenville said, obviously pleased with Leyton’s capitulation. “Have you made any progress?”

“I met with him again,” Leyton said tiredly, scrubbing his hair back. “He invited me to dinner tomorrow evening.”

“Isn’t that a little fast?” Grenville asked, frowning. “We don’t want anyone getting suspicious.”

“He found me in the garden,” Leyton said, shrugging. “Then he asked me out of the blue—it wasn’t any suggestion I planted. I think he’s lonely. But we don’t have a lot of time, anyway. The king has a half-brother who’s a wizard; he’s on his way home, and he’ll be here at some point in the next few weeks.”

Grenville cursed, glowering at Leyton as if it was his fault. “Go to dinner and get him completely hooked. I’ll step up our side of it.”

Leyton nodded, but otherwise didn’t reply. This was going to end disastrously, he just knew it.

“Don’t screw this up, hakarin,” Grenville threatened, looking furious again. “I’ll work on ways to stall the wizard prince’s arrival, but you snare him fully as soon as you can. I’ll give you more instructions in a few days.”

Leyton simply nodded again, not trusting himself to speak. Grenville stared at him for a long moment before deciding he was satisfied with whatever he was seeing. Stalking from the room, he shut the door firmly behind him. Leyton sighed, clenching his hands into fists. There was no way Grenville’s plan would work. Speeding it up only increased the chances that something would go wrong—and the chances had been pretty high already.

Moving slowly across his room, Leyton shucked the dressing robe and climbed into bed. He was going to screw this up, Liam would die, and Leyton wouldn’t even get a chance to say he was sorry for it without getting Liam hurt again.