As much as Laurent wants to be fully on board with things, and is on some level, he’s incredibly resistant to the concept of letting someone else have control because historically that would have led to his death. Damen is so keenly aware of Laurent (honestly, he had to be for his safety earlier on) in every sense it just elevates things to another level. The characters do have sex in this book, but it’s rather unlike any sex scene I’ve read before and not just because the characters involved were both males. I will theorize that Laurent actually knows who Damen is, since he seems to be aware of a lot more than most people realize and it would certainly explain his horrendous treatment of Damen in Captive Prince. Damen, for his part, is fairly constantly afraid that Laurent will figure out that he is actually the prince of Akeilos and the one that killed Laurent’s older brother in battle. It’s not until Damen saves Laurent’s life, dispatching one of his own countrymen in the process, that Laurent’s trust in Damen really seems to set in. Literally everyone thinks he basically has ice in his veins since he’s extremely cold and standoffish to just about every single person and has reportedly never taken a lover. Laurent is very tightly reined throughout these books, for good reason, considering he’s constantly in fear for his life (and, if I’m correct, also was living with his abuser). I love the development of their relationship and it was fascinating to watch tiny cracks in Laurent’s proverbial armor form and let out a little bit of light. The relationship between Damen and Laurent expands significantly in this volume, giving them ample opportunity to solidify trust in one another. Along the way the Regent actively plans multiple attacks on Laurent to dispatch him, but the prince is extremely clever and with Damen’s help manages to survive them. The Regent, Laurent’s uncle, has shipped him off there in hopes that Laurent will die and he can continue to rule unchallenged. Prince’s Gambit has our main characters off to the borderlands between Vere and Akeilos, both of which are poised for war. Slavery itself plays a much smaller role in book 2 than it had in book 1. I was quite pleased when Laurent actually points out Damen’s hypocrisy in regards to slavery, saying that Damen enjoys slavery in others, but not in himself. Both main characters, Damen and Laurent, are definitely more likable this time around, but they still have their flaws. I enjoyed it so much more than the first, now that the characters are fully established and we can take the time to watch their development. As per usual, spoiler alert for anyone who intends to read it. Prince’s Gambit is the second installment to the Captive Prince Trilogy by C.S.
0 kommentar(er)
