The Fire King by Kay Ellis

Author:Kay Ellis [Ellis, Kay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63476-858-0
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2016-02-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

IT WAS like being at Tylan’s wedding feast all over again, Sully thought, seating himself next to Gannon at their allocated table. A room full of people in between him and Okhela, and the king sat at the head table beside Amoria looking lost and lonely. Sully was still furious with Okhela for lying to him, but that meant he wanted to keep the man alive long enough to have a little discussion, and how was he meant to do that when he was unable to get anywhere near him?

“Does he look well to you?” Gannon muttered, clearly sharing Sully’s discontent at being kept from his duty as the king’s protector.

Following the direction of Gannon’s gaze, Sully frowned as he studied the king’s countenance. Gannon was right. Okhela did not look his usual glowing self. In the time it had taken Sully to walk across the room and talk to Phinean, Okhela’s bronze skin seemed to have lost its radiant sheen and the fire in his eyes had dimmed, noticeable even across the distance between them. Almost as if the fire in his soul was slowly being extinguished.

“Something is wrong,” Sully replied quietly. “But what? The meal has not been served yet. He can’t have been poisoned.”

“The wine perhaps?”

Sully shook his head as he watched Okhela closely. Admittedly, he had not been watching Okhela the entire time since the king took his seat at the top table, but thus far, Sully had not seen him take so much as a sip from his wine goblet. It was possible, Sully supposed, that Okhela had taken a drink while he was not looking, but surely anything potent enough to have an immediate effect would be detectable?

By the gods, they were barely five minutes into the evening and Sully already felt obliged to take action. He could not sit and pretend to enjoy his meal when he could clearly see Okhela had been struck by some mysterious ailment. However angry he was, however much he hated Okhela for lying about Tylan, he could not watch the man physically suffer. But how Sully was going to get to Okhela and extract him from the banquet hall without causing a scene and infuriating Amoria, he had no clue.

Across the hall, Phinean approached the head table, confident and self-assured as though he had every right in the world to be there. Sully observed, slightly anxious, as the aide bent his head and whispered in Okhela’s ear. Okhela jerked upright, seeming disorientated and unaware Phinean was even there until he spoke. Instantly, Amoria spun around in her chair and snapped something at Phinean, gesturing with both hands to indicate he should leave the king alone.

Phinean bowed courteously and turned to leave. He looked across the hall, seeking out Sully and Gannon among the guests. Meeting their eyes, he gave a small shake of his head, silently telling them all was not well.

“We have to do something,” Sully said firmly.

It would mean offending the queen, but he cared little about that.

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