Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Zarya drummed her fingers on the table. "Can we do this binding now? I want to start working on the teleportation magic as soon as possible. We don’t have time to waste."

"She’s right. We need to get started on the magic. The rest of you can sort out whatever else the city needs without me," Arkon said. Getting out of council duties would be an added bonus.

They ended up standing and facing each other. They clasped hands, and Zahir put his hands on top of theirs.

The djinn king smiled. "I always knew a woman would tie you down at some point."

"Hardly my first time," Arkon said with a roll of his eyes. He turned to Zarya. "Just don’t say ’I do’ at the end of all this."

"How rude of you. I would be an excellent wife," she replied, not bothered by his nonsense in the slightest. "You haven’t even tasted my cooking yet."

"You cook? Can we work that into the agreement somewhere?"

Zahir made a frustrated sound. "If you are both finished, we can get on with it."

Bronze light gathered around their bound hands, and Arkon’s magic gently stroked Zarya’s like it would a skittish dog. Her winter wrapped around his fire and dragged it in so suddenly, he fought not to gasp. It was a vortex of power buried deep within her, and Arkon wanted to fling himself into it to see how far it went.

Arkon didn’t hear a word that Zahir said. He was too focused on not drowning in the sea of power that was contained inside of the woman in front of him. More than ever, he wanted to understand it, to see if it would unmask itself just for him.

"Arkon?" Zahir prompted.

"Ah, yes, I do. What?" Arkon stammered.

Zarya’s eyes had gone the color of gray blue glaciers, her expression as dreamy as Arkon felt.

"Do you two need to get a room?" Ashirah asked, and Arkon didn’t think she was joking.

"Oh. Sorry, I didn’t realize it was time to let go," Arkon said and slowly reeled his magic back in. Zarya did the same, her glowing gaze shuttering.

"Are we done?" Arkon asked Gio. He needed to get out of the council chambers and find a small dark room to hide in.

Gio was frowning. He knew something had happened but couldn’t figure out what.

"Yes, you’re both dismissed. Zarya can use the apartments next to yours, seeing how you are both working so closely. Despite the rumors, there are no ghosts. No one wanted to be housed next to a sorcerer who likes to burn things," Gio said finally.

Zarya gave him a graceful bow. "I’m not scared of a little fire."

"Good, because if you try and betray Venice and run, I will have Arkon hunt you down to the ends of the Earth," Gio promised her.

Zarya glanced at Arkon, and he tried not to get hard over the idea of really unleashing on her to see if she could keep up. Zarya smiled as if she was thinking the same thing. "As enjoyable as that might be, I have no intention of betraying Venice or Arkon."

"It’s settled then. You two may go. Try not to blow anything up," the doge said, waving them out.

"No promises," they both said at the same time and grinned at each other.

"Creator save us from this unholy alliance," Zahir said, turning his eyes to the heavens.

Arkon suppressed his laughter. Life was finally about to get interesting.

"Thank you for getting us out of the rest of the meeting," Zarya said once they were clear of the council rooms. "I never had the patience for politics."

Arkon put his hands in his pockets. "You really think I would let them talk about the running of the city in front of you? Come now, just because I have no self-preservation doesn’t mean I want Arkadi’s ex right-hand woman to be privy to what else is happening in the city."

"Wise, I suppose. Do you think you would trust me enough to let me leave the palace at least?" Zarya asked, sounding tired.

"Not by yourself," Arkon replied. He wanted to trust her, but it wasn’t something that was going to happen overnight.

"I could leave whenever I wanted," she pointed out.

"I know, but you’re smart enough not to. If you want a tour guide, I’ll escort you. You’re not going to have guards and be chained," he said, and he found that he liked the idea of showing her the city.

Arkon led her through the winding hallways and back to the apartments that joined his.

"Do people really think they are haunted?" Zarya asked as he opened the door and looked inside. They were clean and furnished.

"This is an old palace, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few ghosts about. Gio is right though—no one wanted to move into them because they were next to mine, and I discouraged anyone taking them because I didn’t want a neighbor," Arkon explained. There was a wall that separated them, and he would feel every time she so much as thought about a spell.

"I will make sure I keep my power contained within these walls. You needn’t look so worried, sorcerer." Zarya slipped off her jacket and placed it over the back of the chair. "Is there something else you wanted?"

"Yes. I have questions for you. About magic and other…things," Arkon stated, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Zarya studied him carefully. "I have questions for you too."

"I won’t let you wriggle out of them. If we are going to be doing magic together, we need boundaries and things," he charged on. He was usually better at this. Words were hard around her.

"Can’t do magic without things," Zarya deadpanned.

Arkon’s chest and neck went hot.

"So, we are in agreement. Dinner tonight? I’ll come and get you in an hour or so once you’ve settled in?"

Zarya nodded. "That would be nice."

Arkon backed out of the room before his flustered mouth started running away on him again.

Safely back in his own apartment, he closed the door and rested his head against it. Arkon let out a long exhale. Then, for the first time since moving into the palace, he locked his door.

What the hell did he just do? He blamed the confusing feel of her magic still all blended in with his. He always did enjoy playing with fire way too much.