Consorting with Dragons

by Sera Trevor

  Jasen didn’t know what to say. It was indeed a difficult situation. “I think you should go to them,” Jasen said at last. “Like you said, they are your family.”

  “But if I give up my job here, what will I do?”

  “Say that you got word that a family member was ill.”

  “I’m not sure even a death would make the captain let me out without letting me go completely—especially not during Court season, and extra especially when there’s a Reckoning panic.”

  “I’m the favorite of the king,” Jasen said. “I’ll tell him that it’s my express wish for you to be guaranteed that your position will be there for you when you return.”

  “You would do that for me?”

  “Of course I would. I still don’t know how I feel about this whole future king consort business, but I might as well do something useful with my position.”

  Larely gave him a smile of relief. “Thank you.” His expression switched back to more serious. “We should get you back. I don’t think anyone’s noticed your absence yet, but they’re bound to. Mine as well, for that matter.”

  They walked back to the palace grounds together. Once there, they lingered around the corner from the servants’ door to the East Wing, waiting for the coast to become clear.

  “Do you think you can make it back in unnoticed?” Larely asked.

  “I made it out all right, didn’t I? For once, people have something to think about other than me. After I get dressed in my proper clothes, I’ll go put a word in with the captain.”

  “I appreciate it.” Larely’s smile was a little sad now. “I suppose I should get packing.”

  Jasen started to feel sad himself. Larely was the first person he’d met here. It would be strange not to have him around anymore. “You’ll come to say good-bye, won’t you?”

  “ ‘Course I will!” He was trying to sound upbeat, but Jasen could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

  Jasen put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure everything will work out.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Larely laughed a little. “Next time I see you, you’ll probably be the king consort.”

  Jasen groaned. “I’d rather not think about it.”

  “But you have to,” Larely said earnestly. “You’re going to make a great king consort. Don’t think of it as a trap. Think of the good you’ll be able to do.”

  “Unless I spectacularly screw things up. That’s a very real possibility, especially with you gone. Who is going to make sure Risyda and I stay out of trouble?”

  Larely gave him a crooked grin. “I’m sure you’ll manage.”

  Jasen pulled him into a quick hug. “Take care.”

  “You too.”

  Once Larely had left, Jasen listened at the servants’ door, waiting for it to sound either empty enough that he could sneak in or busy enough that no one would notice. But he badly mistimed it, for when he opened the door, he ran straight into a kitchen maid. In fact, she fell out into the courtyard, almost as if she’d been leaning against the door.

  “Sorry,” he said, keeping his head down. He didn’t wait for a reply as he slipped past her.

  Fortunately, he had no more mishaps and made it back to his room without further incident. He took his time getting dressed again—he knew that Risyda was probably dying with impatience, but he needed a moment to clear his head. It seemed as if every time he thought he had a handle on what was going on, the carpet was pulled out from him yet again. Hopefully this would be his last big surprise, but somehow he doubted it.

  He realized that his days of sneaking away were probably coming to an end. The reality of his future position was starting to sink in, but he felt—well, not at peace with it, but that it might be bearable. And he was starting to realize it had its benefits—Larely was right. There was a lot of good he could do.

  Chapter 12

  Court resumed as usual the next day, as if the Reckoning hadn’t happened, although there was an undercurrent of unrest amongst both the consorts and the suitors, who had lost some of their number as well. Lady Isalei had held another meeting for the consorts, ordering them to keep up an attitude of cheerfulness and gaiety upon threat of disciplinary action, although even without that hanging over their heads, it seemed as if no one wanted to think much about it. Jasen supposed that there wasn’t much use in worrying about it any more—it wasn’t as if there were anything they could do other than wait.

  Risyda ended up accepting the invitation from Lady Wesor. She had been reluctant to leave Jasen on his own, but there was little sense in them both sitting around with nothing to do. Jasen set himself up in the Swan Parlor with some of the other consorts who had yet to receive invitations. It was very strange not to be busy after all of the bustle of training. Jasen wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself.

  He had just selected a book of poetry to read when a footman approached him, carrying an envelope on a cushion. Puzzled, Jasen accepted it and broke the seal.

  Dearest Lord Jasen,

  Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to Lake Vensea for luncheon and a friendly afternoon ride on the lake? It would be nice to catch up, as old friends. If you choose to honor me with your presence, you will find me at the front gates of the palace at noon.

  Yours in friendship,

  Bertio

  It seemed innocent enough. There was nothing particularly scandalous about accepting invitations — indeed, it was expected that each of the consorts would entertain multiple suitors. Bertio also seemed keen on emphasizing that this was a meeting of friends. And Jasen really did need to talk to him, even if his attitude had seemed a little odd at the ball. Besides, it beat hanging around the Swan Parlor all day.

  The footman offered Jasen a pen to write his reply. He scribbled out his acceptance and gave it back to the footman, who bowed and left. Jasen made his way back to his room to get changed. He liked outdoor activities—the outfits were much less fussy.

  As promised, Bertio was waiting for him at the appointed place, standing in front of a carriage. He smiled when he saw Jasen. “I am so glad you decided to join me.”

  “Of course. It will be nice to catch up.”

  “Indeed.” He gestured toward the carriage as a footman opened the door. “Shall we?”

  The carriage took off. Jasen racked his brain for some subject of conversation—he didn’t want to jump right into a discussion about discretion. Consort training had provided him with dozens of subjects for small talk, but none of them seemed right with someone he already knew. “I haven’t been to the lake yet,” was what he finally came up with. “I hear it’s nice.”

  “Yes,” Bertio agreed. “Very nice.” He gave him a wry smile. “Do you remember when we went swimming in Lake Belpool?”

  Jasen couldn’t help but smile back. “I remember. Your little sister stole our clothes—”

  “And we had to nick some off the clothesline of a nearby cottage.”

  Jasen laughed. “I remember the look on that poor woman’s face when we returned the clothes the next day. She must have thought we were mad.”

  “Maybe she thought you were mad, since you insisted on paying her even though we returned them!”

  “I saw it as a rental! That’s not mad at all. My mother didn’t raise a thief.”

  They both laughed, more at ease now. “We did have fun, didn’t we?” Bertio said.

  “Yes, we did.”

  For a moment, Jasen was afraid that Bertio was going to ask him why he’d never replied to his letters, but he seemed content to let the matter rest.

  “How is your sister?” Jasen asked. “She must be what—fifteen by now?

  “Yes. Believe it or not, she’s becoming quite the gracious young lady. Or at least, she’s acting a lot more graceful than I would have at her age if I’d been forced into reduced circumstances.”

  Jasen shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “She could always come to Court when she’s older.”

  “I suppose.” Bertio’s e
xpression had dimmed, but he seemed to shake it off quickly. “And how’s your father?”

  “Drunk and fat.”

  Bertio laughed. “It’s good to know some things never change.”

  They spent the rest of the trip to the lake catching up, just as Bertio had said he wanted to. Jasen found himself growing more and more relaxed. He may have decided that Bertio wasn’t a serious romantic partner, but he did still like him. It was nice to remember the times that were less complicated. By the time they reached the lake, he was in a good mood.

  The carriage dropped them off at the pier, where a number of rowboats were waiting for use. Jasen could see a few boats already out on the lake, the parosols of the consorts bright against the sky, like blooming flowers. Bertio got into the boat first and helped Jasen in. It was a funny sort of reversal, since Jasen had always been the sporty one between the two of them, having to coax Bertio into abandoning decorum for a little fun. But Jasen was expected to be prim, and so he was. He dutifully deployed his parasol as Bertio rowed them out onto the lake.

  Jasen shut his eyes and enjoyed the cool spray of the water coming off the lake as the gentle wind made waves against the boat. It was a nice day, and the scenery was beautiful.

  “Everyone was right,” Bertio said. “This is lovely.”

  Jasen hummed in agreement. “It’s nice to escape the palace. I’ve always loved to be outdoors.”

  “So I remember.”

  Jasen hesitated, not wanting to ruin the time they were having, but he really did need to broach the subject of their past. This was an excellent place to do it, too—although there were other boats on the lake, no one would be able to overhear their conversation. “I would have never guessed back then that I would ever be at Court in the Draelands.”

  “And yet here you are.”

  “Yes. But if I had known back then that this is where I was headed, I might have—made different choices.”

  “Surely you don’t regret our time together.”

  “Of course not. It’s just—well, I think that it would be best if we kept our past private, don’t you think?”

  “It would indeed be a shame if your situation was ruined because of past indiscretions.”

  “Exactly,” Jasen said, feeling relieved.

  “Do you know what’s also a shame? That my brother’s decisions have put me in the position that I must restore our family’s reputation, and yet those same decisions have made it so I lack the funds to do so. Don’t you agree that it’s a shame?”

  Jasen frowned a little. Something had changed in Bertio’s tone. “Yes, of course. I’m sorry to hear that he put you in that position. But it surely can’t be too bad if you made it to Court?”

  “That’s the thing. I had enough money to pay my way here, but I have little left over to offer a consort.” Bertio shook his head. “A real shame, it is. I hope you never have to experience that sort of shame.”

  It took Jasen a moment to figure out what was happening. “Wait a minute—are you blackmailing me?”

  Bertio’s cheeks reddened a little. “I wouldn’t put it like that, but as old friends, I think you’re in the position to help me.”

  “But I’m not! That’s the whole reason I went to Court in the first place—my father gambled away all of our money! I’m worse off than you!”

  Bertio scoffed. “You’re about to become the king consort. Everyone says so.”

  “But I’m not yet! What do you expect me to do? Steal something for you? I hardly imagine that would work out very well!”

  “You could ask for some money. The king must know about your father’s circumstances. You can say it’s for him.”

  Jasen felt his face grow hot. He had been stunned at first, but now he was full of anger. “I’m not going to submit myself to blackmail! I won’t lie to the king.”

  “But you are lying. He thinks you’re a pure young consort, but we both know that that is not true. I know I wasn’t your only lover, either.”

  Jasen shut his parasol with a snap. “How dare you!”

  “You know I’m right,” he said, his voice low. “Look, I don’t mean to threaten, but I’m desperate. You know how my mother is. And think of my little sister—she doesn’t want to be a consort. She received a dragon’s blessing and has dreams of studying in the finest magic academies—dreams we can no longer afford.”

  Bertio was staring at him in a manner clearly meant to be intimidating, but Jasen just glared right back. “Don’t you dare try to make it sound like you’re being noble! Do you want to know why I never wrote you back? Because I knew that you were a weasel. You only care about yourself! You’re conceited and snobbish, but I never thought you would stoop so low.” Jasen crossed his arms. “Take me back.”

  “Not before you tell me if we have an agreement or not.”

  Jasen didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to submit to blackmail—but did he have a choice? “I’ll have to think about it.”

  Bertio gripped his hand. “I’m afraid I must insist. I have to know that my offer is secure before I start courting—they’ll smell it on me otherwise.”

  Jasen yanked his hand back. “Get you hands off me! Maybe you should have thought about that before you came here. What were you going to do if I wasn’t here to extort?”

  Bertio didn’t reply. Jasen studied his expression and came to a new conclusion. “You knew I was here, didn’t you? And you knew that I was the favorite of the king. That was your plan all along.”

  “News like that travels fast,” Bertio said. “No one can quite believe it—it’s really quite scandalous. You may have tricked your way into Court, but you have a reputation, Jasen. I’m not going to be the first person from your past to come forward. You need to start thinking about how you’re going to manage it.”

  “Starting with you,” Jasen spat. “And how long will I be able to buy your silence?”

  “Help me with establishing my marriage and I will never speak a word of it. That’s all I ask.”

  “Forgive me if I am somewhat skeptical.”

  “I’m just doing what I have to do to secure my future. Anyone would do the same.”

  “I wouldn’t.”

  “But you are. You’ve lied your way here. Don’t pretend that you’re better than me.”

  “And what if I tell you that the king wouldn’t care about my past?”

  “Maybe he wouldn’t—but what about the ministers? They are going to want to assure that you are the best possible match—too much depends on it. Maybe the king himself wouldn’t mind, but he has a kingdom to think about. Is his love for you strong enough that he would be willing to risk it?”

  Jasen had no reply to that. He blinked rapidly, annoyed to find that tears were prickling up in his eyes. “Take me back—now.”

  “Tell me you’ll help me.”

  “Never mind, I’ll do it myself!” He made a grab for the oars, but Bertio got to them first.

  “I’m not leaving this lake until you assure me that you’ll get me the money!”

  Jasen thwacked him on the hands with his parasol. Bertio cried out in pain and let go of the oars, allowing Jasen the opportunity to take a hold of them. But Bertio recovered quickly, shoving Jasen aside and he tried to take control again. Jasen shoved back—

  —and then the boat tipped over, and they were dumped in the lake. Even though it was a sunny day, the cold water was still bracing. Jasen was only under water for a moment before he popped up, sputtering. Bertio surfaced a few seconds later.

  “Are you all right?” Bertio asked, moving toward him.

  “Stay away from me!” Jasen kicked off his shoes and took off his jacket, leaving them in the water (Rotheld was going to have a fit, but he didn’t care at the moment) and swam for shore. Even without his shoes or his jacket, his clothes encumbered him, but he was a good swimmer. Better than Bertio, at any rate, who was hanging onto the side of the boat, calling after him. Jasen paid him no mind.

  Several servants w
ere gathered around the dock by the time Jasen got there—they must have seen them go over. A burly man helped Jasen out of the water. “My lord, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” Jasen said as he wrung out his hair.

  “Where is the other gentleman?”

  “With the boat,” he said with a gesture. One rowboat had made its way over to Bertio, with the occupants helping fish him out of the water. But several other boats were making their way toward the dock as quickly as possible, no doubt eager to hear the latest catastrophe involving the king’s favorite. Jasen gritted his teeth. Wonderful.

  “We keep some dry clothing in the boat house,” the servant said hesitantly. “Although it is not suitable for a man of your stature, naturally—I can send someone to the palace to fetch you more appropriate attire, if you wish.”

  “I’m sure whatever you have will be fine,” Jasen said.

  The servant led him to the boat house and quickly produced the clothes, which were too large for him. By the time he was dressed, several of the consorts and their suitors were gathered around the boat house, all waiting to see him.

  Jasen sighed. “I don’t suppose there’s any way you can sneak me past them?” Jasen asked the servant.

  “I don’t think so, my lord. But I can make sure that your carriage is ready to go so you won’t have to linger.”

  “Thank you.”

  The servant hesitated. “Do you wish to wait for your friend?”

  “No. He can make his own way back to the palace.”

  The servant bowed. “As you wish, my lord.” He left.

  After a few minutes, the servant returned and escorted him outside. The ladies and gentlemen were all abuzz with chatter, which silenced when they saw Jasen. A few began inquiring after his health. He muttered some assurances that he was quite well, but refused to make eye contact. He couldn’t manage to avoid Bertio, however, who lunged in front of him, blocking his path. He was still dripping wet.

  “Where are you going?”