The Kings of Blackclaw

It was high noon when Malakai finally woke up in his chambers the next day. The ray of sunshine that gleamed through his window felt like shards of glass piercing his brain. He had indulged in more than his fair share of alcohol the previous evening and was now heavily paying the price for it.

Aside from a very sweet yet familiar taste lingering on his lips, his body ached as if he had fought off a pack of wolves all at once, and his head felt like it would explode at any given moment. He desperately needed to shift so that he could rid himself of this hangover once and for all.

As he made his way down the grand palace stairs of the East Wing, he caught sight of Archer waiting at the bottom, a mischievous smile playing on his face.

"What the hell are you smiling about?" Malakai demanded to know.

Archer let out a hearty laugh. "You look like shit."

"You know, if you weren't my best friend, I'd have to kill you for that comment." The Prince playfully grabbed Archer in a chokehold, and a