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“He does?”
Baldewin snorted “Ravi has a reckless, adventurous side that calls to Caotten our consort into trouble on h the pictures, stopping briefly on a blond lare who looked up from what appeared to be mountains of old books “This is Gunter, the royal researcher and librarian He is the keeper of all old spell knowledge and history of the clan He tends to be grurumpier e send Ravi into the library to fetch him”
“If Ravi is a creature of chaos like you make him sound, I don’t blame Gunter”
Baldewin grunted his agreeh the pictures until he stopped on a handso’s advisor, and his ical is happening in our castle, she knows about it”
Tori straightened,toward Baldewin a little bit She looked warine she was all fluff and sunshine if she’d e in what appeared to be a large clan “She would be the one deciding whether I’ic”
The dragon’s brow furrowed again withyou She’d be in charge of figuring out how best to expand your natural talent and uncovering where you could use so Remember, Caic Cae, and he’s learned quite a bit in the past ons Lisette is ecstatic to meet you”
He was content to let that co Lisette’s enthusiase over the consort when he’d entered the clan, but still…his own clan thought he was useless and hopeless when it caic He’d been rejected and kept away fro he’d regarded as his fucking birthright He was in no hurry to be hit with more rejection that would undoubtedly cut deep into his soul just like all the others
“You were looking for the bonding ceremony,” Tori prodded
“Yes, of course” Baldewin resuainst a bright blue sky There were a rass “I didn’t take these I was in ood part of the cerees took the pictures, and they were kind enough to send them over to me,” Baldewin explained as he handed the phone back to Tori
Slowly, he swiped through each one, soaking in aseach other with that sa vows to each other and their clan Then a regal croas placed on Alric’s head before a slender, elegant circlet was placed on Cameron’s brow
But more than what he saw in Alric and Caround of the pictures that drew his eyes They were all watching the ceremony with open expressions of happiness and wonder Baldeas right The Burkhard Clan truly did accept the fact that their king ith another man
Unshed tears burned in Tori’s eyes, and he clenched his teeth against the swell of hope, joy, and old pain that he didn’t want Baldewin to see, but there was no hiding it frory and when he htest chill It sees
“Tori?”
“I…I’ve heardfees, and that homosexuality is evil It’s been beaten into my head until I couldn’t even stand to look at et out ofhere with you now, holding photographic proof that soIt’s like my brain can’t even process it all”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Baldewin very slowly reach out and place his hand on Tori’s shoulder, as if he was expecting Tori to jerk away It wouldn’t be the first time he’d flinched at Baldewin’s touch, and even now, his entire body was tensing up as if preparing for a blow, but his heart didn’t care It welcomed the touch, even wantedhiht and close? To hold him in the safety of those massive arms? A small part of him was convinced it would feel heavenly, and he was stunned by how badly he wanted a hug from Baldewin