Kristen Gupton

“He swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up, but quickly sat back down again as his world spun and his strength evaporated. Jerris turned around and frowned, giving Keiran the once over. He stepped closer and crossed his arms over his chest. Corina had told him several times that Keiran had been increasingly wobbly when he first got up in the morning. Some days, she claimed, it took him three or four times to get up and stay standing. It wasn’t something he’d seen for himself, and he didn’t like it in the least. “Are you okay?” Keiran shook his head and pressed his hands against his eyes, grunting. When he dropped them back to his lap, his complexion had gone waxy. He’d been honestly hoping not to waver like that in front of his friend. The prince generally thought he did a good show of hiding how he felt physically from Jerris most of the time. It was damaging to his pride, so he muttered out the first excuse”
― Kristen Gupton, The Phoenix Prince

“eyes away from the dead man, Keiran rested his chin against a hand. “Someone should get him out of here before he ruins the floor,” he said. Thana, one of the servants milling around, gasped at the muttered statement, bringing a hand to her mouth. “That seems a bit callous to say, My Lord.” His eyes closed and he rubbed his temples, long legs stretching out before him. Despite the shock he was in, his cheeks went absolutely red with embarrassment. Of all the people in the room to misunderstand him, it had to be the one girl he’d taken a liking to over the years. “No, I mean my horse.”
― Kristen Gupton, The Phoenix Prince