Cress ’s Reviews > Prince's Gambit > Status Update

His voice had the same quality as his gaze. ‘This is close quarters.’
‘Close enough to see your eyelashes,’ said Damen. ‘It’s lucky you do not have the size to breed great warriors.’ And then he stopped himself. ...
‘My size,’ said Laurent, ‘is the usual. I am not made in miniature. It’s a problem of scale, standing next to you.’

Ughhh I loveee their interaction!!!

Laurent answered in a hard, unyielding voice, ‘The slave lies in no bed but mine.’
‘You couple with men, in the Veretian style?’ said Halvik. ‘Then he will be taken and prepared for you; he will be given good cuts of meat, and hakesh, so that when he mounts you, his endurance will bring you great pleasure. You see? This is Vaskian hospitality.’

Ew i hatee when they say mount, it sounds so animal.

He was not thinking about tactics. That man had laid hands on Laurent, and Damen was going to kill him.

It's not just respect anymore!! Well it hasn't been just respect since Nasson (pretty sure I wrote it wrong) but this just solidified it.

but—for once in his life—Laurent got only two words out before the man simply did what most people wanted to do when speaking with Laurent: he hit him.

This is sooo funny 🤣 and he's just jealous it wasn't him who did it.

‘In my culture, it is customary to reward for good service,’ said Laurent, after a long pause. ‘Is there something you want?’
‘You know what I want,’ said Damen.
‘I am not going to release you,’ said Laurent. ‘Ask for something short of that.’
‘Take off one of the wrist-cuffs?’ said Damen, who was learning—he realised somewhat to his surprise—what Laurent liked.
‘I give you too much leeway,’ said Laurent.

‘You have me over the back of your horse.’
‘It’s not like you to give up the reins,’ Damen couldn’t help saying.
‘Well, I can’t see the way over your shoulders.’
‘We could try some other arrangement.’
‘You’re right: it should be me in front and you carrying the horse.’

Ahhh I'm screaming this is soo hot!!!

‘No,’ said Laurent. ‘No, you got to him.’ He had pushed himself up into a splayed sitting position. ‘Before.’
Damen was passing a hand from the join of Laurent’s neck and shoulder down over his chest, frowning. But there was no blood, no protruding bolt or fletching. Had the fall injured him? Laurent sounded dazed.

Damen sweet he's not hurt but he's completely into you now.

Though the thought existed: If I took him with me to Akielos, he wouldn’t be given as a prisoner to Nikandros. He’d be given to me.

Dudeeeee!! 🤦🏼‍♀️
I think this is EXACTLY why I didn't hate the first book. A slave/master dynamic is frankly disgusting, BUT Damen doesn't see himself as a slave or behaves as one

Home was so close. He could take Laurent down the hill and deliver him into Akielon captivity. The desire to do that thrummed in his blood. Nothing was standing in his way. Damen pressed his eyes closed briefly.
‘You need to take cover,’ Damen said.

That's.... what's he doing? If It was literally anyone else, they'll turn on Laurent in a heartbeat, especially with all the shit he been through

‘This is instructive. I’ve seen you put half a dozen men in the dirt without breaking a sweat.’
‘Not right now, I couldn’t.’
‘I can see that. You’re relieved of your regular duties in the morning.’
‘That’s nice of you. I can’t get up. I’ll just lie here. Or did you need something?’
‘Oh, how did you know?’ said Laurent. ‘Take me to bed.’
Damen groaned and found himself laughing..

thought he didn't like sharing