"What do you mean, now?!" Liam asked while very clearly trying to get away from Arik.
They had changed out of the heavy coronation clothes less than half an hour ago. Arik had exchanged black-and-gold imperial robes for a fitted black shirt and loose trousers, the sleeves pushed to his forearms. Liam had abandoned layers of ceremonial purple for soft charcoal trousers and a thin dark shirt that had made him believe, foolishly, that the rest of the night involved food, sleep, and preferably nobody speaking to him.
Instead, Arik had informed him that the mate ceremony was waiting.
Of course Narissa had told Liam about it.
Arik had mentioned it too. Multiple times.
Rubis had even delivered a painfully awkward explanation about sovereign traditions, bonded ether, spiritual imprints, and the creation of a mate stone.
Liam had apparently chosen to misunderstand every important detail.
