Seron snorted. “All right, well, how about you? I think you’d go at it four times a day if we didn’t keep you busy with council meetings.”
“Hey, guys!” I slapped my hands on the table. “Could you not discuss this in those terms, please?”
“I’m just trying to figure out what your concern is, exactly, when you say it’s too much to ask of her.”
“Well, Oszin would agree with me,” Seron said. “Aurek, where do you want to draw the line? What if we found out she’s also supposed to be with King Dvaro or some damn thing?”
“Sounds like you just answered your own question,” Aurek said. “King Dvaro is my line, if it makes you feel better.” He laughed. “But Himika is a unique queen in our history. She was appointed by prophecy. She suffered under our antiquated policy. I am really not concerned that she will keep adding more lovers to her bedchamber, but I do think all signs point to this as being part of the path we must take. This peace we’re supposed to have will begin with Himika. If she can hold us all together, it’s her that I believe in—more than this messy whirlwind of rulership. She is the knot who will bind our strings together. Human and dragon, low and high, peasant and king.”
“Truthfully, I really never expected I would be in this situation,” I said. “And yet, I would much rather that you were all desperately in love with me than looking at other women, and if any of you were unfaithful, I’d be very upset, so I realize it’s unfair, four of you and only one of me, but I would much rather you make demands of me four times a day than look at anyone else. I would rather take that aphrodisiac mist than give any of you up. Because my feelings are so strong…with each of you.”
“Including Ezeru?” Seron asked. “But what will the court say?”
“It’s true I don’t know Ezeru as well yet, but…it…it feels right.” I was starting to flush at the thought of what I was agreeing to. “The court will have to accept it and if we present it as the will of the gods, the prophecy, and all of us, then they will.”
This theory seemed to work on Seron. He looked like he wanted to go grumble to himself, but he said, “Very well. I will say, it would be good news to keep Ezeru close while we’re on this mission so he can flip as many rock dragons to our side as possible. All I truly want is to achieve this peace.”
I squeezed his hand. “We will achieve peace. I know it.”
“So it’s settled?” Ezeru asked. “Queen Himika, are you offering me the right to woo you?”
I tore my eyes off Seron, who had folded his strong hand over mine, crossing (the never jealous but always frisky) Aurek, who looked very pleased with how I’d handled the situation, and then to Ezeru. Were it not for his slight hunch, he would probably be a hair taller than Aurek. He was looking at me like a hungry predator who had just enough sense to be patient, his dark hair falling across his brow. He wouldn’t joke around as much as the other three; I knew that. Animals don’t have a sense of humor, I thought, and then I chided myself. I didn’t really mean to compare him to an animal when that seemed like a way of insulting the rock dragons. But there was certainly something about him that was different from the other guys, or any man I’d ever met.
What did I just agree to?
“We should adjourn for lunch,” I said.
“Yeah—still lots to do,” Seron said. “Niko—do you have time after lunch to meet with General Avo to talk about plans for moving back out into the sky kingdom?”
“Of course.”
Aurek rapped his fingers on the table. “Shall I leave you two alone, then?”
“Lunch first!” I exclaimed.
“Sorry, Ezeru. I tried to help you out. It’s going to be a long lunch,” Aurek said.
“It’s—fine. I’m hungry,” Ezeru said.
Ezeru was seated beside me at the table as the servants were putting out food. Seron, Niko and Avo sat together, talking about the operation. Word must have spread fast. Everyone seemed a little tense and some other officials came up to him to question the decision, which then led to others defending the decision.
It was painfully obvious that this court was split. Some people still saw Aurekdel as the rightful king and others didn’t, and every day, those two factions were getting into little squabbles, no matter what Aurek and Seron did to try and tamp it down. Very few people greeted Ezeru on his return, and when they did, it was in a tepid sort of way. They were staring at him.
I mean, it wasn’t all bad. The young women still seemed very interested. Well—too interested, actually. A few went so far as to wave at him flirtatiously.
I guess dragon women were really in for the broody-and-weirdly-handsome type. Or maybe they just liked his strength. Either way, I wanted to growl at them, mine.
Come to think of it, it was sort of surprising the dragon women didn’t all hate me. But I couldn’t stand for this combination of suspicious glares and objectifying interest.
“Before we eat, may I say a few words?” I asked.
“Go right ahead,” Seron said.
I stood up, lifting my glass. “This afternoon, I would like to drink to Ezeru, who has returned from a journey to the castle Imaru to find his true origins. He is indeed a descendant of King Orvenu.” I did my best to describe the story of the crown. “And he brings with him the rock dragons that will help defend us as we travel back to Hemara, and so I hope you’ll all welcome him back tonight. He is one of us.”
Still, I wondered how to broach the subject of our…agreement.
Aurekdel stood up too. He was seated across from me, and he held up his glass as well. “He is also my lady’s third champion,” he said.
Okay, so I guess ‘champion’ was just a nice way to say ‘consort’ now. A few people gasped.
“I don’t remember saying that you could say a few words,” Seron said under his breath.
Aurek waved a hand. “A queen needs many champions in times such as these, and Himika has proved herself to be stronger than she looks. Disrespect to Ezeru will not be tolerated, flirtation will be ignored, and kindness will get you a good spot in the caravan home.”
Gasps turned to mild laughter. Raia and Hara pointed at me from the table with the other high ranking servants like they were proud of me.
Well, now I felt embarrassed, and Ezeru was staring out at the other dragons like he didn’t know what to make of it, but it seemed to shift the mood. As usual, Aurekdel knew what to say.
“A rock dragon for a champion?” someone called.
“But he’s not a normal rock dragon,” one of the soldiers said. “King Seron has been telling us about all the things he can do and his skills are beyond compare! I wouldn’t piss him off.”
“And he brought all those rock dragons with him and they’re sitting out there as tame as cats!”
“It wouldn’t be a bad thing if the queen had a child with powers like that.”
“It’s been months and no children yet.”
Everyone started talking very loudly and excitedly.
“It’s—it’s only been six weeks,” I stammered. “I was cursed until recently and I couldn’t get pregnant!” No one could hear me. I kicked Aurek under the table. “Why did you say all that?”
“Dragons very much appreciate virility in a ruler,” Aurek said. “Loyalty, as well, but if we all loudly proclaim our mutual acceptance, then I think it cuts off some criticism. I just gained you both some respect. After all, when you first showed up everyone was worried you would be a prim little thing. And Ezeru has been rather cold. But now they’re rooting for you.” He turned to them again. “Ker-anu!” he said. “I think we should have a ker-anu to bless Queen Himika with a child!”
“Ker-anu! It’s been a long time!”
Hara and Raia squeezed each other’s hands like they were excited about whatever this was.
“What’s a Ker-anu?” I hissed.
“It’s a type of ritual claiming,” Seron said.
“What? What type?” Aurekdel had introduced me to this idea of a �
��ritual claiming’ before as a way to give Oszin something like a wedding night, but also to introduce him to sharing me with Aurek, the then-king. It had been pretty awkward and yet surprisingly sexy, and it kind of did work. After that, Oszin was soon joining Aurek and Seron and me.
“Ah, but this is nothing too overtly scandalous,” Aurek said. “It is when the court builds a sort of love nest for the mating couple in the throne room out of furs and flowers and such, and your servants will pretty you up, and it’s supposed to cast a royal blessing on your union. It is usually done when a couple needs a boost. Sometimes at weddings, other times after a wedding has borne no fruit. This is an odd circumstance anyway, so why not?”
“Of course, it’s not very private. The first time we had one was for Lord Varu’s wedding to Lady Aminara,” Seron said. “We were about eleven, right? And we banged on drums so much our ears were ringing the next day.”
“Yeah, that was pretty stupid on my part. Well, you’re supposed to bang drums so you don’t hear anything, so it’s actually quite private,” Aurek said. “Himika will wear bells and if the bells can be heard they’ll know they’re not making enough noise.”
“Bells?” Stars in the sky. I never knew what insane idea was going to come out of Aurekdel’s mouth. “You mean to tell me they actually want—Ezeru and me to—in the throne room—while they—stand outside banging on drums?”
“Are we involved in this?” Seron asked.
“Of course we are. They want her to have your child too. Clearly, they’re excited,” Aurek said. “But we’ll be come in later. Ezeru and Himika will be the subjects of the proper ritual.”
“I’m not going to do this,” Ezeru said.
“Just try and talk your way out of it now,” Seron said. “Aurek—that was unfair.”
“Himika got them halfway there, but someone had to seal the deal,” Aurek said. “Ezeru, we have no time to mess around.” He settled back into his chair.
“Well,” Niko said. “Surprise, surprise. First you force us into a Grand Quintet and now I suppose you have a ritual for everything.”
“If I could fix everything with a sex ritual, this kingdom would be the domain of the gods,” Aurek said. “But then…it is surprising how many things I have handled that way.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ezeru
The moment I laid eyes on the painting in Imaru, I saw one path unfold clearly in my mind.
My desire for Himika was not wrong after all. If I had the blood of King Orvenu, then I could have also lifted her curse. And if this crown could appear for me, why should I not have a queen?
The entire time I was marching back to Irandal, I ran over scenarios in my mind of how I would argue my case, how I could challenge King Seron for the right to share his bride the same way Aurek and Oszin did. I knew Himika felt something for me too, but I had expected her to balk.
Instead, she was the one who took charge of the matter and made it clear that she would have me. It all happened so easily and then she turned to me, and my entire body was screaming for her.
And yet—I never imagined I would be with anyone in this way.
Definitely not this way.
“I refuse,” I insisted, and I was basically ignored by the entire table. Himika gave me an apologetic look that was aggravatingly cute and only made me want her more. She must be used to this sort of nonsense.
It wasn’t like Dvaro’s court didn’t have its own nonsense. Although the mist dragons were immune to each other’s mist magic, they still could drink it in straight from the source, and I heard of kulum induced orgies. Dvaro wanted his dragons to have children, and plenty of them, because every mist dragon baby was a warrior in the future, and he’d been around long enough now to see a generation of them grow up.
But I certainly was not invited to nights such as that. And—
I’d seen dragon women bathing at the lake. They were not all that modest, but the last thing I wanted was to get caught staring at them. I’d never even really seen a woman. There was a naked prisoner thrown in the jails once. Naked children running around at times. None of this counted.
My body seemed to have a very urgent idea of what should be done, but I knew Himika would be very experienced. I didn’t want her to think I was some bumbling idiot. The very idea that I would actually get to be with her seemed like a dream. But if it was reality, I very much wished I could seem as suave as Aurekdel.
I could barely even eat. That would have been the case even without this ritual hanging over my head, because I could smell Himika’s sweet musk of desire and it was making me want to lick her like a mating attu. I looked at the doors, wondering if I could escape somehow, but that was a useless thought. I mean, either way, I would at least get what I needed.
Does she actually like me? Or is she just in some sort of heat too?
I had this strange feeling like she did actually like me. She wasn’t looking at me with the same crazed hunger I was feeling for her. As far as I knew, human girls didn’t go into heat. Maybe she was just attracted to me in a normal sort of way and I hardly knew what to do with that information.
No one besides Peri had ever loved me before.
Himika was certainly different from Peri…
What about Aurekdel and Seron? Could they really…welcome me?
They didn’t seem to find me abhorrent or beneath them. They didn’t even seem to mind.
I was still almost confused by the lack of struggle. I had been so ginned up to fight for her.
I had barely finished eating when a few dragon girls swarmed on me while others nabbed Himika.
“We need to get you ready…”
“Could I have male servants?” I asked, although to be honest I wasn’t sure if that was much better. I’d never had servants do anything for me before.
“Just enjoy yourself,” Aurekdel said.
“Make it quick,” I told the pretty young woman who was looking at me expectantly, her tail swishing like a cat about to pounce. But she didn’t actually touch me.
“You’re dirty,” she said, as I followed her somewhere.
“I’ve been on the road for weeks.”
“Well, you definitely need a bath.”
In the lower reaches of the castle were the bathing chambers, far nicer than anything in Dvaro’s castle, the walls aglow. The chamber was split into a public bath and the royal bathing area, but there were also deep, square private tubs shaped into the floor along one side, and they shoved me toward one of those, dumping in flower petals before turning the faucet, and then handing me a sponge and a bottle of something.
“Get cleaned up for the queen. Work this into your hair, you look like you haven’t washed that in ages. I’ll set this drying mat here on the side.” The drying mat was another spongy sort of thing, but larger and fibrous looking. “We’ll find you something handsome to wear.”
I stood there, glancing dubiously at the bath. I didn’t want to take off my clothes.
“Do we have to undress you?” the other girl asked, poking my sleeve.
“Get back!” I whipped my arm out of her way.
They both stared at me and backed off, although I wouldn’t say they looked intimidated. More that they had just decided to leave me alone.
I waited until the bath had filled, then tore my clothes off quickly and submerged myself. The flower petals stayed on the surface of the water and concealed my body. The girls were off to the side pretending not to look at me, and I didn’t like to be looked at. My back had always been a little crooked. Rock dragons were half my size, and even with my half-breed parentage, I should have been smaller than I was. Izeria’s spells had accelerated my growth, but imperfectly. At least the steaming bath soothed my lungs, but I felt like a troll about to descend on Himika’s perfection, and with the entire court present?
All of this was alien to me. The dragons seemed to be having fun. I kept looking for some sort of malice behind it. Maybe they intended to make a joke of me. Th
at’s the only way Dvaro would have suggested something like this.
But then, so far Aurek had been nothing but fair to me, and he was the man Peri wanted me to follow.
Well, not quite. I had to remind myself that Aurekdel had lost his crown, but he still seemed to wield control in the court.
I was still incredibly tense.
Then I heard her voice behind the wall leading off to the royal baths.
Himika and her ladies were murmuring and laughing. She sounded nervous too, but much more assured than I was. Despite the warm water, I was nearly shivering when I heard her voice, just thinking about what it would be like to finally touch her skin and taste her mouth and better yet, the sweet center of her. And then, to have her for my own, to feel her under me, to claim her again and again until every inch of her was mine, inside and out, marked with my scent, fucked until she couldn’t speak and was full of my seed…
For a moment I forgot all about the ritual, my mind lost in pure animalistic need.
I heard her voice again. The echo in the room made her loud enough that I could piece the words together. “That perfume is nice…but somehow I don’t think he’s going to care.”
“Are you a bit afraid of him?” one of the ladies asked.
“Afraid!? No. Not at all. I think he’s rather sweet deep down.”
Sweet? Sweet!?
A rock dragon, I thought, should never be mated to a regal young queen like Himika. She thought better of me than I deserved. I was a monster and she was the kindest of girls, the most delicate of beauties.
I was afraid she would soon change her opinion of me. In Dvaro’s palace, I had to be controlled, or I might lose my tongue, my hand, my life.
But I had always controlled myself against rage and despair. I had never felt anything like this.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The Kingdoms of Sky and Shadow Box Set Page 48