"Your Majesty…"
The physician looked at Arik with the weary comprehension of a man who had finally accepted that Liam was not, in fact, the dramatic one in the imperial marriage.
"Do your job," Arik said.
He stood close enough to the examination couch that his thigh touched its edge, one hand resting against Liam's shoulder while faint threads of gold and red ether moved around him in agitated curls. He had been like that since they entered the medical suite twenty minutes earlier, despite Liam repeatedly explaining that nothing was wrong.
"Arik," Liam said, turning his head to look up at him. "You are making the doctor uncomfortable. I'm not pregnant. You can stop looming."
"We do not know that yet."
"I am on contraception."
"Yes."
"Contraception that the same physician told us remained effective through heat."
"Yes."
"And it has been less than two days."
Arik's expression did not change.
Liam sighed and returned his attention to the ceiling.
