Free The Rules of Ever After by Killian B. Brewer Page B

Phillip watched the corners of the man’s eyes wrinkle as he laughed, making his rugged face seem friendlier. “But it has helped me keep up with some of the news of the kingdoms while I have been on my wanderings.”
    “You’ve been out in the kingdoms?” Phillip asked. He shifted up onto his knees and leaned forward. “What’s it like out there?”
    “Surely you’ve been out in the kingdoms,” the man said with a look of surprise. “You’re a royal. You can go anywhere!”
    Phillip dropped his head and frowned as he traced the maze of stitching on the bed’s coverlet. “No,” he mumbled. “My stepmother won’t let me. She says it isn’t safe out there for a future king.”
    “She won’t let you read the Inquisitor . She won’t let you out in the kingdoms.” The man placed his hand under Phillip’s chin and lifted his head to look into his eyes. Phillip’s stomach fluttered at the warmth of the man’s touch. “Who is this woman that she can have this much control over you? Your mother, you said?”
    “She’s not my mother. She’s my father’s wife.” Phillip shrugged and pulled away from the man’s hand. “She’s awfully bossy. As a matter of fact, she’s why this stupid bed is here.”
    “Yes,” the man said, “you said this bed has a special purpose. I can only think of a couple of purposes for a bed and none require it to be this tall.” The man cocked his eyebrow upward.
    “You mean you haven’t heard about it? I figured everyone knew.” Phillip sighed and flopped back onto the bed. He lay still until an uncomfortable lump in the mattress under his back made him shift. “My stepmother is determined to find me a bride. This bed has something to do with that, but I really can’t talk about it. It’s a secret. Especially since I don’t even know your name.”
    “You can call me Daniel,” the man said, as he pushed the cover­let off his body and began climbing past Phillip toward the end of the bed. “If this bed has such a special purpose, I guess I’d better get out of it.”
    As Daniel crawled past him, Phillip felt a sudden urge to keep him there a little longer. “Wait,” Phillip pleaded. He reached out and grabbed Daniel’s wrist. With a gentle tug, Phillip pulled him back onto the bed beside him. “Don’t get down yet. Tell me about the kingdoms, please.”
    Daniel looked down at Phillip’s hand on his wrist and back up at Phillip’s face. Phillip quickly pulled his hand away. Daniel took Phillip’s hand and set it back on his wrist. “You can keep me from falling out of the bed. There is a big lump right there,” Daniel said as he pushed down on the mattress. “This bed is weird.” After pulling on the bottom of his doublet to adjust it over his leggings, Daniel snuggled down into the mattress. He turned onto his side to face Phillip.
    “Ignore the bed,” Phillip said as he lay down beside Daniel, rested his head on his arm and stared into Daniel’s eyes. “Tell me about the kingdoms.”
    “Okay. What do you want to know?”
    “Everything!” Phillip said, his voice cracking with excitement.
    “Well, Clarameer is much bigger than you would think. I haven’t covered much of it yet. But what I have seen is absolutely beautiful.”
    As beautiful as you? Phillip watched Daniel’s face light up with the joy of telling of his travels. He could easily imagine Daniel rid­ing across the kingdoms on a white steed with his wavy hair blow­ing in the wind. As Daniel continued his tale, Phillip could barely follow his words, as he was yet again transfixed by the movement of Daniel’s lips and the soothing timbre of his voice. Phillip closed his eyes and let himself be lost in Daniel’s words.
    “Phillip, are you listening?”
    Phillip opened his eyes to find Daniel sitting up in the bed and looking at him expectantly.
    “Why don’t you do it?” Daniel asked.
    Phillip’s mind raced as he sat up and tried to figure out what Daniel was asking him. “Why