Ch. 22 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

First, some out-of-context spoilers.

And now, the excerpt – wherein the slow-burn simmer becomes an inferno.

~

The word hung in the silence between them.

Emlyn’s dark eyes had flown wide with shock.

Rat knew what would follow. Disgust. Anger. Betrayal. He braced to see the worst of it in Emlyn’s gaze. If Emlyn would even deign to continue to look upon him.

But instead Emlyn smiled.

Soft and handsome and radiant as ever. Rat’s heart thrilled to see it despite the wretched circumstances.

“Me?” Emlyn said with soft wonder, as though xe couldn’t believe it—ludicrous, for who wouldn’t want a prince, and moreover one so strong and beautiful and kind. “What for?”

Perhaps Emlyn had misunderstood him. Rat supposed he’d better make his meaning plain. “I want to kiss you.”

Unmistakable joy flashed through Emlyn’s dark gaze. Xe quickly tempered it. “You don’t have to—”

“I want to.” Rat felt as startled by his own honesty as Emlyn evidently felt to hear it, judging by xir astonished blink. He pressed on nonetheless. “And more. Worse.”

Emlyn’s brow furrowed. “Worse?”

“I want to do things to you.” Rat swallowed hard and forced out the confession his prince deserved. “Terrible things.”

Rather than horror, a hopeful and unaccountable smile lit up Emlyn’s already-brilliant features. “Such as?”

~

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You’ll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!

A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)

Completed works…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
A Willing Canvas – John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
The Train Job – Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
Hold Fast 2 – Hold Faster (mm)
Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)

See you on Patre♡n!

Ch. 19 – A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – m x nb romantasy on Patreon

Chapter Nineteen of A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow – a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty – is now on Patre♡n! Wherein feelings are denied.

~

“Have you done that before?”

“Done what?”

“Kissed someone.”

An unaccountable shame bloomed in Emlyn’s chest. Xe’d never felt xe’d done anything wrong in this regard before. Now, however, with Rat asking xir the simplest question… Still, xe could do no less than answer honestly. “Yes.”

Rat deserved that much, at least.

Though he didn’t seem happy to hear it now. Nor did he say anything. No matter how dearly Emlyn wished he would. A horrible silence drew out between them.

Before Emlyn could stop xirself, xe added, “And more.”

This did nothing to improve Rat’s aspect. Nor did it induce him to speak. His eyes darted away from Emlyn’s. Over the room. Clear across it. Fixing on a point in the middle distance and focusing on nothing at all. His jaw clenched and unclenched. Yet he remained silent.

“Does it bother you?” Emlyn asked—though the answer was already evident.

“No,” said Rat.

There was something off in the answer. Too quick. Too sharp. It had a strange undercurrent that sounded utterly unlike the Rat that Emlyn had come to know and love.

All at once, Emlyn realized xe couldn’t recall Rat ever lying to xir before.

~

Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You’ll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!

A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]

Currently posting…
A Mirror for the Prince’s Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)

Completed works…
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
A Willing Canvas – John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
The Train Job – Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
Hold Fast 2 – Hold Faster (mm)
Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)

See you on Patre♡n!