Sugar & Dragon Act I: Temptation (Sugar & Dragon #1)

XI Dago/Hera

“You’re taking a vacation to help Hera Galenos?!”

Zeno’s indignation wasn’t a surprise. Almost every alchemist saw Hera as a threat, but for House Nereus, the woman was public enemy number one. She and Zeno stood on the opposite side of the business barricade. Considering the centuries-old friendship between their families, Zeno had every right to expect the descendant of the Midais to stand behind him. With this declaration, Dago dealt the man a blow that was not only unexpected but also painful.

“Sokratis is considering retirement,” Dago said, shooting his friend a meaningful look. “It was implied that if I didn’t improve my public image, Galenos would net the Archmagus office.”

Understanding cleared Zeno’s clouded face. He relaxed and lay on the garden couch like a dark sea god on a coral bed.

“Do you intend to borrow her reputation or tarnish it?”

“That depends.” Dago smiled casually, shifting his gaze to the pond, the surface of which sparkled in the sun as brightly as the cloudragon’s lightning bolts. “I think I’ll let her choose.”

The softness and shape of the woman’s body aroused in him more than just a collector’s desire, but the memory of the piercing insight in her eyes irritated his senses, putting them on alert. The idea of becoming Hera Galenos’s husband seemed more and more tempting every day, but he couldn’t afford to get too attached to her. Until the maga signed the contract, they were rivals. He couldn’t forget that.

“What exactly are you planning?” Zeno asked, watching him with predatory interest.

Dago gave him an amused look. “Judging by your sharky smile, I know you’ve already guessed. Do you really want to know the details?”

Zeno snorted and shook his head, as if he couldn’t decide if Dago was brave or crazy. “If your plan comes down to the seduction of Hera Galenos, then the only thing I want to know is your state of matter. I want to inherit your castle in case you become a pile of ash.”

“What if I keep my form and she stops being so tense?”

Zeno shook his head again but grinned. “You’ll get the discount for the whole assortment.”

“Hundred percent off ‘til the end of the year?”

“Fifty. Till the end of the quarter.”

Dago raised an eyebrow. “You want my castle, and at the same time you price something that you couldn’t do yourself so low?”

Zeno narrowed his eyes, ready to answer the challenge. He must have concluded, however, that he not only wasn’t interested in seducing Hera Galenos but indeed couldn’t do even if he wanted because he admitted, “You’re right, that was unfair. How about one elixir of your choice once a month, for the next ten years?”

“One big bottle, regardless of the price of ingredients and the complexity of production?”

“One small bottle, regardless of the price of ingredients and the complexity of production, or one big non -premium elixir.”

Dago knew that it wasn’t easy for his friend to say those words, so he did his best not to smile too triumphantly.

“Deal.”

If Hera Galenos became his wife, he would become rich on more than one front.

***

“You’re taking a vacation to help Dago Midais?!”

Pax stared at Hera in disbelief, squeezing the teacup so hard that its cracking was more than likely. Gaiana put her hand on his arm, gently encouraging him to set it down, then tucked a red curl behind her ear and looked at her friend closely.

They had reacted exactly as Hera predicted.

“ He is supposed to help me ,” she said with studied calm, meeting the green eyes of the man on the opposite side of the table.

“That sounds even more suspicious,” Pax said, not reassured by her tone, nor by the garden scenery surrounding them, nor even by the proximity of his beloved wife. He let go of the cup, running his fingers through his mane of dark hair. The name “Dago Midais” influenced him like the sight of another predator influenced a lion patrolling its territory. He became restless. “He’s plotting something.”

“Certainly,” Gaiana agreed, but a smile lurked at the corners of her mouth like a fox waiting for the right moment to spring out of its hiding place. “But it’s nice he agreed to help you. He could’ve refused, after all.”

Hera smiled casually and reached for a cookie so her silence wouldn’t strike the eye.

“What might he want from you?” Pax wondered. “Are you doing any research that could benefit or harm his interests?”

Hera took a bite of the cookie and chewed silently for a moment. She thought she was well-prepared for this conversation, but her friend’s question made her realize that when it came to Dago Midais, she still managed to miss the obvious facts.

House Midais had been mining precious metals for centuries. Of course her new research could benefit Dago’s interests.

“I’m researching the healing properties of gold,” she said eventually.

“Gold has healing properties?” Gaiana asked at the same time as Pax crossed his muscular arms and said belligerently, “All is clear now.”

Hera ignored Pax and smiled at his wife. “Gold has antibacterial properties,” she continued, not faking her enthusiasm. “I have yet to confirm this, but I think it can reduce inflammation and speed up wound healing…”

Her friends gave her amused glances, signaling they saw through her verbal machinations, but Hera shrugged and reached for another cookie without interrupting her disquisition. She knew they would think about her words long after she left. The speed of wound healing was the only topic that interested healers and knights to the same extent.

Besides, she managed to distract them from things she wasn’t ready to talk about yet.

For now, no one needed to know that since Dago Midais had proposed to her, the list of potential projects within her financial reach had grown significantly.