Chapter 8
Sagan
Onyx flinched when I cleared my throat. He glanced over and gave me a guilty look that actually made him look adorable. “I apologize. The royal family has the best libraries in all of Thovudin. They’re legendary and I couldn’t help being nosy.”
Oh right, he wasn’t allowed in here. I frowned.
“I’ll have to bring that up to Benson.” I shook my head when he looked hurt.
“You’re an educator and a scholar. I’m not worried about you, Onyx, but the castle shouldn’t be so open where priceless works could be ruined by petty people.
Especially with how many we have coming in that I don’t trust.”
“No, you’re absolutely right.” He cleared his throat and put the book he was holding back on the shelf. “I’m sorry.”
“I’d be willing to give you access,” I hedged, realizing now I had something he wanted when I needed a favor from him.
He gave me a curious look but then frowned. “Please don’t play those games with me. I don’t want that between us.”
I was so mortified so fast that I spun away and went to leave without even thinking to continue the conversation.
He darted in front of me and tried to stop me.
“Move,” I bit out.
“No, please, wait,” he begged. “I wasn’t being mean. I wasn’t—I’ll give you whatever you want freely, Sagan. You don’t have to make deals with me. It came out harsher than I meant because I—please wait.”
I took a step back but crossed my arms over my chest, unable to meet his gaze. I wanted to let it go but couldn’t. “You end up apologizing a lot. It’s hard to trust you’re ever really sorry then.”
His body went tense. I wasn’t looking at his face, but I could see that. “I mess up a lot, but I try not to make the same mistakes twice. Please keep that in mind at least.”
I gave a slight nod. That was probably fair.
“What did you need—why did you come to find me?” he asked quietly when the silence dragged out. “Please? Can we just sit and talk? I’ll help—whatever you need, baby girl.”
I really liked hearing him call me that more than I should and it wasn’t something I wanted him to know. I sighed and pushed my hair over my shoulder. “Don’t agree so fast because it’s something I shouldn’t ask.”
He moved closer and lowered his voice. “I’d still do it for you. Give me the chance to show that. Don’t—let me show I value you and not because I want access to the De la Rosa libraries.”
I slowly looked up at him. “I looked at your resume and bio.”
He nodded. “Of course, you are for all of the candidates and…” He trailed off because I felt my cheeks heat dragon fire hot.
He chuffed and moved in closer, backing me up until I hit the end of one of the huge bookshelves.
“Baby girl, thank you for giving me hope again. I promise I’ll show you I deserve it.
I promise you—ask me anything and I’ll get it done for you. ”
I licked my lips as my body reacted to him being so close, but it backfired—or maybe that wasn’t the right way to put it—because heat filled his eyes. “Protesia has a mountain that they—it’s bad. Rockslides. Mudslides. They’ve sent their specialists out, but no one can ever seem to get an answer.”
He lost the lust and seemed to put on his professional hat. “I’ve heard about that. Nothing recent though, right? They asked your father for help a few years ago.”
My eyes went wide, but then I relaxed. “You must have been on the dig. There was a huge issue, but they weren’t even releasing full details outside of their media because it’s getting embarrassing the king can’t handle something like that.
He and Father—they didn’t have the trust and he was too demanding like we owed everyone help with our talents. ”
“And knowing your father, he wanted to help, but the optics were so bad that it could hurt dragons in the long run if it seemed the tigers could push us around.”
I nodded.
“What do you get out of it?” he hedged.
“You’ve seen how much Myriam can sense. An investigator of that level at court and on my side would be huge, but he’d ask too much and try to put in a spy.”
“Not if he got a win out of the deal and it looked like a trade of royals helping royals,” he surmised, nodding when I smiled. “He wouldn’t risk that future help.”
“Only if he was stupid, and he’s not. He’s smart and cunning, but—this should work.”
“Done.” He nodded but then froze. “If my queen gives me a kiss.”
I couldn’t even hide my disappointment. “I should give sexual favors for—”
“No,” he groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. “I didn’t mean it like that. I mean more like for being your knight in shining armor or—no, of course not.”
“Oh, sorry.” That was actually kind of sweet, but I’d overreacted.
“Can I take you out to dinner when I get back and tell you all about it firsthand?” he asked, trying again.
“Like out in Nerthus? One of the nice restaurants?” I cleared my throat when I realized there was a bit too much enthusiasm in my tone.
But he caught it. “Yes, I’ll arrange everything. Private room. Tasting menu—something fun for you.” He leaned in again and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Let me give you something fun, baby girl.”
“Okay,” I breathed, my hormones going wild.
Which was crazy when I’d just been burned by Thorn.
“I can use one of your planes so I get—”
“Not our planes,” I blurted.
He flinched but then frowned, and seconds later rage filled his face and surrounded him. “Something is wrong with your planes? Is that what happened to your parents? Was it on purpose? Did—”
“We don’t know, and I can’t tell you what we do know yet,” I muttered. “It looks like neglect, but… The planes and runway aren’t safe.” I nodded when he swore under his breath.
He pulled me into his arms and kissed my hair. “Okay, but now I don’t want to leave you here without more protection, and—too many of your guards are loyal to the elders.”
“Darren is sending someone and hopefully whoever this investigator I can get will help.” I didn’t realize how much I needed the hug until my arms were around him without making the conscious decision.
“I’m so sorry, Sagan,” he whispered while rubbing my back. “I’m so sorry you’re suffering through all of this and have so many snakes around you. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, but I did truly appreciate the comfort. I cleared my throat after another couple of minutes and pulled away. “I have to go handle what comes next.”
“Go. Go be fabulous like you always are.” He cleared his throat and quickly kissed my cheek. “I’ll go pack and be ready. Have someone tell me where to go—whatever.”
I suddenly felt shy like I was sending my significant other off on an errand instead of someone qualified and we would want to send in this situation. “Thanks, Onyx.”
“Keep me updated?” he asked when I moved away. “Just if you’re okay. Please?”
My cheeks flushed again and I nodded before quickly walking off and making the call I needed to.
It was a bit worrisome when the King of Protesia was quiet and didn’t say much while I told him my idea. Then the silence dragged out more than was actually polite and I swallowed the urge to make sure he was still on the line.
“You are going to make a fine queen, and I don’t care if that is something I shouldn’t say,” he finally replied. “I’m sorry for you and how it happened, but you are bolder and smarter than your father. He worried too much about perceptions.”
“I would think that’s easy to say from the outside, and there are many instances he went against what people thought or wanted. How he handled our recession one of them.”
He chuckled, which threw me off. “No matter your relationship, I just heard a daughter defending her parent’s legacy, not ruler to ruler.
And you’re right, but I told him many times that his elders were bigger snakes than he knew.
He was—it matters not now. I know why you called with an offer and you’re very smart for that. ”
“It seemed the right time to make the suggestion,” I commented without trying to imply anything good or bad.
“This is the rare time I would have helped and not required anything nor been my normal sneaky self as is a tiger’s nature.” He chuckled again when I didn’t say anything and waited for him to go on. “You have your father’s patience and it’s irksome, but it will serve you well.”
“Thank you.” I wasn’t sure what else there was to say.
“I want you alive. The elders are a threat to your safety, and even little whispers have reached my ears that your house is so badly out of order that it’s ridiculous. That’s dangerous for not just you, but all royals.”
“I cannot deny there have been problems, but you don’t show all the cards up your sleeve as a member of the royal family and you cannot think I do either.”
“Touché. Glad to hear it. But I meant what I said, and I would have helped this time without the offer of Onyx Conley’s help.”
“But you’ll still take it,” I said, trying to keep the amusement out of my tone.
“I’m not stupid either.” He cleared his throat. “But while I know he will report his findings and how bad this last incident was, I hope my sending several candidates for you to pick from makes it clear…”
“It won’t go any further unless it’s something dangerous to my people,” I promised.
“I believe you’re what is best for Protesia as well even if I agree with my father that you’re a hothead who demands too much publicly and that makes it difficult for us to change our relationship to be friends.
Our nation is larger and with more resources and people.
“We can never be perceived as bowing. Ever. You might see it as worrying too much about perception, but perceptions keep people safe—keep Thovudin out of wars while you have had some in the past hundred years. We have not. I will keep to that in my rule. That doesn’t mean I won’t take out any threat to my people, but there won’t be a war. ”