"He will one day have the wellbeing of every Arnesian life in his hands," Kell replies. "A ruler's life is sacrifice." Perhaps not as much for Rhy as King Maxim would like, but the seeds are there. Rhy is a smarter man than he lets on, and with every night spent dragging Kell from disreputable party to the next, Rhy made himself one of the people. He could never rule with might, but Rhy may very well manage to rule them all with their love for him.

Kell smiles through the pang in his heart. "But yes, he loves me. When I did not have one, he tried to make his family my own. I have no more fervent advocate in all the Londons."