This was babysitting.
He had served King Dax through blood politics, border disputes, assassination attempts, and one memorable diplomatic dinner where the king had smiled for three hours while silently deciding how many men in the room needed to disappear. He had served Queen Christopher through the years after Saha learned what it meant to have a consort who looked gentle and made dangerous people reconsider their survival choices. Hale had seen royal madness in its mature forms.
Nero was not mature royal madness.
Nero was royal madness with excellent hair and insufficient fear of consequences.
"Back," Hale said.
Nero sighed with theatrical disappointment but obeyed. Mostly.
