Chapter Seventeen
I found Jucai sitting on a bench beneath an orange tree.
Gazing at the ripe fruit above him, he radiated serenity.
I paused on the garden path, struck again by how handsome he was.
Moonlight turned the cape of his hair into a halo, a sharp contrast to the blue silk of his tunic.
Repose softened his regal features, but instead of making him look more common, it turned him into a divine creature, too beautiful to touch.
His full lips were parted as if he were about to speak.
Turning to look at me, he did. “What have you discovered, my cunning diplomat?” His eyes, tilted up at the outer corners, revealed more than his lips. Brighter than usual, the green of his irises was sharp like venom in the night, and his chin lifted with the threat of a snake ready to strike.
Frowning, I went forward. “I've proven your innocence, Your Majesty. The attackers used magic to disguise themselves. They were not Sea Dragons. Hopefully, I'll learn more after I speak to the survivors.”
“Good.”
“Are you angry with me for taking so long? I assure you, it was necessary.”
“Was it necessary to flirt with an old lover and then try to gain a new one?”
“What?” My breath caught as his gaze sharpened.
“Feilen told me about the two Eljaffna men, both as pale as me and handsome. One, he said, was an old lover of yours, here in the palace. The other was the man charged with investigating the attack. Tell me, do you enjoy it when men drink your blood?”
“So, he was a spy, just as I suspected.”
“Tell me!” Jucai surged to his feet, his long hair flying about him.
I remained calm, my diplomatic training saving me from escalating things. “Tell you what, Jucai? That an old lover tried to lure me back, and I rejected him? Or should I tell you about Claw Mahdred, whose advances I also rebuffed?”
No, I didn't exactly rebuff Diaya, but I put him off until after I ended things with Jucai. That's virtually the same thing.
Jucai deflated.
“Ah, so your guard failed to mention how I walked away from both men?” I shook my head. “I even pointed it out to Feilen when he questioned me.”
“Feilen said he suspected you turned down the courtier because he was watching.”
“Feilen shouldn't judge me on what he suspects, and neither should you. I am not interested in Lahi. He's not masculine enough for me.”
The Sea King cocked his head. “Not masculine enough? Is he a fop?”
I laughed. “Not exactly, but he is a coward, and that annoys me.” I looked him over, remembering King Saric's words. “I prefer brave men who fight monsters.”
“And the Claw?” He stepped closer. “Feilen said your would-be suitor rousted him off the ship, but from what he could see, you were smiling at him a lot.”
“I was smiling a lot?” I snorted. “You own two harems! Two! Are you seriously mad because I spoke to two men? What happened to the 'As long as they don't penetrate you' rule?”
“We changed that rule, if you recall. At your behest, Nadar! I am being faithful to a man for the first time in my life, and you are off flirting with other men. You vowed fidelity to me, and I will have it, or this will end now!”
“I have been faithful to you.”
He stared at me.
“Ah, I see. You don't trust me.”
“I barely know you. In fact, I was beginning to trust you before you flirted with other men.” Jucai stepped back. “Would you have taken one of them to bed if I weren't here?”
“Would you have fucked one of your slaves if you had stayed in Kansu?”
“No,” he whispered as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. Then, in a rebellious tone, he said it again, “No, I wouldn't have. I am a man of my word.”
“So, I am to trust you even though, in your own words, we barely know each other? You have two harems and fuck women. But I'm supposed to trust you when everyone on the planet is a possible bed partner?”
“Just because I can have anyone, it doesn't mean I can't be faithful. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I've had everyone I've ever wanted, so I'm harder to seduce. You, however, have been very easy to seduce.”
“I'm a Dragon! We fuck people to find our mates.”
He went still. “You think I could be your mate?”
“No, I'm just saying that it's a cultural thing. We are promiscuous out of necessity.”
“So you're more likely to cheat.”
“For fuck's sake, Jucai! Do you think I'd ask for fidelity and then cheat on you the first chance I get? I'm only going to be in Kansu for a week. I think I can manage to be faithful.”
“For only a week? And then your promiscuous nature would demand that you move on?”
“You are twisting my words. I don't understand why you are so upset. I haven't broken our agreement. And what does my nature have to do with anything? I may be promiscuous, but you and your court are worse. I'm shocked that sex means anything at all to you!”
“It does with you!”
I froze, my heartbeat choking me. I'd gone too far, just as I feared I might.
He was getting attached. I had to end this.
Now. If it went any further, it could ruin relations between our kingdoms. But as I stood there, staring at him, his hair shining in the moonlight, I couldn't say the words.
Even worse, I had enjoyed hearing him say that sex with me meant something.
Sex had never meant anything to me. Maybe once, when I was young and didn't know better.
But I learned fast not to rely on emotions.
They changed too quickly. A lover could hold you tenderly in the night and whisper words of love for weeks, even months, and then decide they don't want you anymore.
Men got bored. They wanted something new and exciting. Just like the Sea King.
I took a breath. This was just infatuation.
It would be fine. By the end of my visit, he'd forget what he'd said to me.
He'd go back to his slaves, and I would go home.
This was salvageable. In fact, it was great.
This was what I'd wanted. If I could hold the Sea King's attention for a little longer, I could encourage him to become an ally of Zaru.
So, how should I play this?
Softening my gaze, I whispered, “It means something to me too.” Perfect delivery. So why was my heart racing again?
“It does?” Jucai stepped closer.
“Yes, of course it does.” I held out my hand, and he took it. “I didn't like it when you walked away from me this morning.”
“Nadar, I left because I was confused.”
“Don't do it again.”
“I won't. Don't flirt with other men again.”
“I wasn't flirting.”
“You appeared to be.”
“All right, because you're so upset, I'll avoid Lahi, but I can't avoid Claw Mahdred. I'm working with him to find the people behind the attack. But I can be more careful with my words around him and refrain from physical contact. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes.”
“And you will do the same?”
“Nadar, I only flirt to seduce, and I'm always successful. So, when I promised you I wouldn't be with anyone, that was included.”
“I see. So that’s why hearing about me smiling at another man upset you. You saw it as a precursor to sex.”
“Yes.”
“I will be mindful of that.” I chuckled and shook my head. “It's been two days, and we've made two sexual agreements, one of which we reconfirmed.”
“It's been nearly three days, and we wouldn't have had to reconfirm our previous agreement if you weren't such a flirt.”
“I am not a flirt!” I cleared my throat. “Not at the moment, anyway, and you can't hold me accountable for the actions of others.”
“Then you can’t hold me accountable for a slave who crawls under the table and sucks my cock?”
“You can tell them to stop.”
Jucai smirked.
I let out a heavy sigh. “Yes, all right, I heard it when I said it. I will tell them to stop. Good?”
“How long will you be visiting my kingdom?”
I went still, surprised by the question. “You know how long. I just said, I'll be there for a week.”
“But we've had to interrupt your visit. I think you should stay longer.”
A shiver went down my spine. I wanted to stay longer, and that scared me. “I might be convinced to add a day.”
“Just a day?” He lifted my hand and kissed it. “Stay another week.”
Damn those beautiful eyes of his!
“I can stay for four extra days. Then I have to return to prepare for my next mission.”
“I see.” His face twitched. “Very well. But you will return to Kansu, yes? There will be trade discussions which you will attend.”
Had my heart stopped? Or maybe I had gone numb. I couldn't remember why I wanted to leave Kansu. Oh, yes, it was because I didn't want a long-term lover, especially not an underwater one. I had to leave. But did that mean we couldn't be together when I visited in the future?
“Yes, I'll return, I'm sure. If you wish, we can always reestablish our agreement while I'm there.”
The Sea King went still, his gaze intense, and then he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. When he eased back, he brushed our lips together. “You will return often.”
I flicked my tongue over his lips. “Yes, Your Majesty.”