Chapter Twelve #2
Those questions got shoved aside as I entered the vast throne room.
As I hurried across the midnight floor, I motioned my guards to take posts near the door.
Across the room, the King sat atop his blue crystal throne, perched on the dais, with the curving wall of the inner sea shaft behind him.
Standing before the dais were several Neraky men.
They looked like pirates, but all Neraky, even the ones who weren't criminals, had that look about them.
They all favored the style of clothing that functioned well on ships—loose pants in a breathable fabric, wide-sleeved tunics to allow for movement, swords hanging from thick belts to defend themselves, and broad-brimmed hats to block out the sun.
With clawed fingers hooked into their belts, the Neraky men stood as if still on deck—legs wide apart and hips cocked.
One stood apart from the rest, a foot away from the dais steps, and it was he who spoke with the King.
“—wore the Ilshi crest, Sire,” the Neraky man was saying. He stopped when I approached and looked me over. “Who might you be?”
“I am Lord Nadar Damra of the Zaru Dread, here as a diplomat to the Court of Ilshi.”
“Zaru!” The man looked sharply at King Jucai.
Jucai waved me up to the dais as he said, “I asked Lord Nadar to join us. I trust him, and this concerns his dread.”
“What concerns my dread?” I climbed the stairs and stood beside Jucai.
“Trade ships from Zaru have been going missing. One of them showed up in Erimbar's port late last night. A few survivors were aboard. They say they were attacked by Sea Dragons wearing the Ilshi crest.”
“What?” I looked from him to the Neraky. “Are these the survivors?”
“No, this is Captain Lu-tsa and his crew. He keeps me apprised of events on the surface.”
“Word is spreading fast that Ilshi is not to be trusted,” Captain Lu-tsa said, the nictitating membranes over his eyes blinking before his eyelids did. “If you don't act fast, Your Majesty, the land kingdoms will refuse to trade with you and may even attack out of revenge.”
Jucai met my worried gaze. “I did not order the attack on those ships.”
“I believe you, Your Majesty,” I reassured him. “There's no reason for you to attack our ships, especially not when you're hoping for trade agreements. But my king will not take my word for it. I need to investigate this.”
“You have my permission to do whatever you feel is necessary.”
“Thank you.” I inclined my head to him and then looked at the sea captain. “Do you know where the survivors are now, Captain?”
Captain Lu-tsa scratched his chin and glanced at his men. “Last I heard, they were still in Erimbar. That's their home port.”
To the King, I said, “I need to get to the surface.”
Jucai held my gaze for a few moments and then nodded. “I will attend you.”
“To Erimbar?” I asked, aghast.
Even the Neraky gaped at the King.
“Yes, I must speak to King Saric. Maybe he will believe me if I speak with him in person.”
I considered it. “You're right. If you were trying to make war on Zaru, you wouldn't step foot in Erimbar. There would be no point.”
“We will leave within the hour.” King Jucai stood up.
I followed him down the dais steps and went to Captain Lu-tsa. “We'll need the names of the survivors, their addresses in Erimbar if you have them, and the name of the ship.”
“I'll write it down and have a servant take it to you.”
“Thank you.” I hurried after the King, who was heading to his private door, content to let me handle the details. “Your Majesty?”
Jucai stopped before the door and let me catch up.
Over my shoulder, I called to my guards, “Make ready to return to Erimbar and meet us in the courtyard in an hour!”
“Two hours,” Jucai said.
“Make that two hours!” I called back. Then I asked Jucai, “I thought you said we were leaving within the hour?”
“It sounded more dramatic than saying we were leaving in two hours.”
Chuckling, I followed Jucai out of the throne room. He headed in the direction of the royal residence.
I fell into step beside him. “We need to talk.”
“Indeed.” He motioned at a passing Kaikeyo woman.
She stopped and bowed. “Your Majesty?”
“Send the steward to my tower.”
“Yes, Master.” She hurried away.
We continued on, heading into his tower. On the ground floor, I followed him into the central kitchen. The small staff stopped what they were doing and bowed to the King.
A Leeya woman hurried over. “What can we do for you, Master?”
“Send breakfast for two up to my library.” Jucai glanced around, spotted a tray of pastries, and waved at them. “Include some of those.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” She bowed and then motioned for her staff to get to work.
“Should we eat before we swim?” I asked as I followed the King out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
“Why not?”
“I've heard it can give you cramps.”
“I don't get cramps, and you will ride me.”
His words sent a shiver down my chest, straight to my cock. I cleared my throat. “What do you mean?”
We passed the harems and stepped out onto the fourth floor, into the library. Jucai passed through the main room and went into the side room with the long table. Waving at a chair for me, he sat down at the head.
I sat down beside him. “Your Majesty, I—”
“Jucai,” he interrupted.
“Yes, we need to talk about that too. I can't call you by your first name in public. Not on the surface.”
Jucai crossed his arms. “I have given you the right.”
“And I am honored, but it is considered disrespectful in Zaru. Now, as for—”
“I do not find it disrespectful, so it is not.”
“But the courtiers of my court will see it as such.”
“I care not what your courtiers think.”
“They will think poorly of me, not you, Jucai. Do you understand? The Royal Palace is my home, and many of the courtiers are my friends. I can't appear so casual with you.”
He narrowed his glittering eyes. “Casual? You mean, you don't want them to know that we're together.”
“Not at all. I'd be proud to be seen as your companion, but I would prefer not to explain myself to them.”
“Then don't.”
“That will cause even more issues.”
“So you wish to treat me as a stranger?”
Cocking my head, I leaned back in my seat. “If I don't use your first name, I'm a stranger?”
“Not a stranger, but not a lover either. Your use of my name is a sign that I have chosen you, and so another may not.”
Holy fuck, what I had seen as proof of his generous nature had actually been another mark of possession. This was what came of not knowing a culture.
“Nadar?”
I reminded myself that I was the one in charge of our relationship. I was steering this ship. Still, I couldn't help the growl in my voice when I asked, “If that's the case, why did you want to publicly claim me by fucking me in front of your court?”
Jucai made a face. “You make it sound like a crass spectacle. As if I want to put you on an altar and take you as Karadas takes his offerings.”
“Karadas at least curtains off his altar. No one actually sees him fucking his offering.”
“I already agreed not to do that with you. What’s the problem?”
“The problem is, you said you wanted to fuck me in public to claim me as your lover, when my use of your first name did the same thing.”
“Claiming you physically in their presence would have been more of a deterrent to other Sea Dragons interested in pursuing you.”
I took a deep breath and let it out, reminding myself that we would soon be in my world, and he'd be the outsider. “Our cultures are different. My use of your name will not mean the same thing on land. Please trust me and let me guide you through our ways.”
“I will not share you with your land lovers, Nadar.”
“Land lovers?” I blinked. Paused. Processed. Was this possession or jealousy? Both? “I have no current lovers at court.”
“What do you mean by 'current?'”
“There are a few whom I've been with in the past.”
“You will identify those men to me upon arrival.”
“For what purpose?”
“So that I may make my claim known to them.”
“Excuse me?” I gaped at him. He couldn't be serious.
“If you will not use my first name, I must announce our relationship in other ways, especially around those who have a previous claim.”
“I think you had better explain what you mean by 'claim.'”
“Must we talk about this again? You are mine. I have claimed you.”
“Master, I have your breakfast.” A Gashi man walked in carrying a large tray with several covered dishes. He laid them out on the table, along with glasses and a carafe. “May I get you anything else?”
The tone caught my attention, and I looked more closely at the man. He wore black, back-lacing pants and a short-sleeved top. It was the pants that made me grimace. The pants and the bulge in them.
The Sea King didn't notice what was being offered. He waved the man away. “No, that's all.”
“Thank you,” I added as the man bowed.
He nodded to me and left.
Jucai uncovered dishes and filled his plate. He glanced at me and paused. “What is it?”
“I am not yours, Jucai. You don't own me. Not even for a little while.”
He sighed and leaned back. You obsess over words.
How many times must we go over this? I'm not saying you're my property, Nadar.
You're my lover. I explained it to you before, and you said you understood.
I don't know why you're bringing it up again.
What is so bad about being mine? I am yours, and I don't complain about it.”
The anger left. Poof. “You're mine?”
Jucai rolled his eyes and flung his long hair back over his shoulders. “Yes, of course you have a claim on me. If you didn't, that Gashi would be under the table right now, sucking my cock.”
I flinched. “You didn't have to add that last part.”
“I know you heard what he was really offering. Did you see me consider it? No, I barely looked at him, barely even spoke to him.”
“And that was for me?”
“We agreed to complete fidelity. I know you would have disliked me accepting what that man offered, so I refrained.”
“Disliked? Yes, I would have disliked watching another man suck your cock.”
“You wouldn't have to watch him. He would have been under the table.”
I blinked.
Jucai chuckled. “I'm teasing you, Nadar. What I'm trying to say is that I understand what you want from our time together. I am trying to give you what you want. Could you try to give me what I want in return?”
“And you want me to call you by your name on land?”
“Not if it hurts your standing at court. But I would like you to do your version of it.”
I thought about it. What was a subtle relationship indicator on land?
“We show our attachment through displays of affection. A touch on the back. A kiss on the cheek. That sort of thing. If you were speaking to a man, and I wanted to let him know that you were taken, I would step up beside you and take your hand or lay my hand on your back. You could put your arm around me in return. Those things are clear signs that we are together.”
“That is what you meant when you told me I could show my claim to you through affection?”
“Yes, exactly.”
The Sea King went silent. He motioned to the food and then ate a few bites.
“Your Majesty, you summoned me?” A tall, willowy Sea Dragon entered the room and bowed. His pure black hair hung down his back in an intricate braid; silk robes hung modestly from his body, hinting at the power beneath; and his green eyes were sharp with intellect.
“Yes, thank you for coming.” The Sea King waved at me. “Have you met Lord Nadar, the diplomat from Zaru?”
“No, Sire.” He inclined his head to me. “I am the Palace Steward, Lafei.”
“A pleasure to meet you.” I inclined my head in return.
“Lafei, I will leave shortly to visit the surface and deal with the false accusations against Ilshi. I need you to let the Master of Bed Slaves know of my sojourn, have my bags packed, and handle questions that arise concerning my absence.”
“Yes, sire. Do you know how long you'll be away?”
“I do not, but it shouldn't be over a week.”
“Very good, Your Majesty. Do not worry. I will handle the court.”
“If Lord Sero returns, he can oversee things in my stead.”
“Of course, sire.”
“Thank you, and notify my King's Guard to prepare for a trip and to meet me in the courtyard in an hour and a half.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Lafei bowed and left.
“You have a King's Guard?”
“Of course. Why wouldn't I?”
“Are they Sea Dragons?”
“Yes, who else would I trust to guard me?”
“But they don't guard your tower or your throne room.”
“No one would dare attack me here. If they did and the palace guards failed me, I would handle the attack myself. I only need my King’s Guard when I leave the city.
“Oh, I see.”
“Nadar?”
“Yes?
“I have been waiting for you since last night.”
It took me a second to realize that he was talking about sex, and then I chuckled. “You have indeed been patient. Very well. How do you want me?”
Jucai sucked in a breath. “In so many ways.”