"You must take concubines."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Thorne stared at the twelve men before him, each draped in wealth and arrogance, their heads bowed slightly as if that softened the blow of what they had just said.
His ears rang with their words. Take concubines?Surely, they didn't mean….
His jaw tightened as his gaze flickered through each of them. "What did you say?" His voice was low, deadly even.
The men shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Lord Kethan cleared his throat for the third time. "Your Majesty. This is a matter of urgency and shall be treated as such. You must take—"
"How dare you?" Thorne's voice cut the man off, it was deep, dark, and hoarse. "You dare come into my kingdom… and suggest this?"
Lord Kethan didn't flinch, no, they were all determined. This has been going on for years. Not anymore. He stood his ground. "Your Majesty—"
"Do I look like a man who needs to be told how to secure my throne?" Thorne cut in, voice sharp and low.
