Chapter Twenty

I spent the next day doing the lightest work in the garden, things like fertilizing the flower beds and jotting down the supplies I needed. That night, I dined in the hall with the court. There was no reason not to. At least, I thought there wasn”t. But when I got to the hall, the courtiers shied away from me again.

“Really?” I asked Verall”s back. “We”re doing this again?”

“You said the King didn”t want you,” Verall hissed over his shoulder. “And then he nearly murdered me for speaking to you.”

“He didn”t nearly murder you.” I rolled my eyes. “And we”re not together. I think he”s decided he doesn”t like men.”

Verall turned to face me, his expression hesitant.

“But now I”ve decided that I”m not into you,” I said and walked away.

I grabbed a glass of wine from a server who grinned at me approvingly. I winked at her, then went to sit at a table alone. But this time, I did so confidently. Fuck them all. If they wanted to crowd in at the other tables rather than sit with me, let them.

“So, you”re not afraid of Eljaffna?” an Eljaffna man asked as he gracefully folded himself down onto the low couch opposite mine.

“You”re not killers. Or monsters,” I said.

“Some people would disagree.”

“Even when your King is half Eljaffna?”

He lifted his blond brows. “I believe that is the very thing that has led to the belief that we are heartless killers.”

“Ah,” I said, finally understanding why people were so reluctant to tell me what King Shaleros was. “He survived, and the kingdom assumes it was because of his Eljaffna blood. Therefore, Eljaffnas can”t love the way other races do. They”re a bunch of unfeeling blood drinkers.”

“Precisely.”

“You do know that you”re not seen as such in other kingdoms?”

He shrugged. “What do other kingdoms matter to me?”

“Fair enough. But one of your kind is mother to the King. That doesn”t earn you some respect?”

The man sighed and leaned back against the sofa. He sipped his wine and glanced around the room. “It was like that once.”

“Before the Duchess died.”

“Yes.”

“How did she die?”

He grimaced. “That too has added to our reputation.”

I sat up straight. “Tell me. Please.”

“Duchess Erelis died giving birth to the Dragon King”s child. Both she and the baby expired. The physicians were baffled. Dragons don”t die in childbirth. Neither do their children. It has never happened. The only explanation was the babe. And its father.”

A shiver ran down my spine. “Another mixed-race Dragon.”

“Part Eljaffna.” He nodded. “They say the child sucked her down into death with him.”

“A boy?” I whispered.

“A boy, yes.” The Eljaffna shook his head. “It was tragic. So tragic. The kingdom mourned, believing they had lost the entire royal family in one swoop.”

“But they didn”t.”

“No. The King lived.”

“But he”s never been the same.”

“Correct.”

I glanced at the King”s table, still empty, and wondered if he was coming to dinner. He had disappointed me, but I didn”t blame him. I understood. And now, I felt only sympathy for Shale. Sympathy and pity. He lost his immortal mate because she tried to give him a child like him. Gods, that cut me, and I never knew her. I couldn”t imagine how Shaleros had mourned. No, that”s not true. I could imagine. I”d seen it. And this was after one hundred and fifty-seven years, supposedly without any love in his heart.

“I”m Casu, by the way,” the Eljaffna said.

“Nice to meet you, Casu. I”m Sebastian. Thank you for keeping me company.”

“Thank you for not looking at me with revulsion.”

I blinked. “It”s truly that bad here?”

He shrugged.

“Why don”t you move to another kingdom?”

“This is my home. And with the revulsion comes an odd sort of respect.”

“You mean fear.”

Casu grinned broadly enough to flash his fangs, then flicked his shoulder-length hair back. “I do.”

“Ah, I see. You enjoy scaring people.”

“It can come in handy, especially in negotiations. When one of my suppliers tries to milk me for more money, I just grin at them.”

I chuckled. “So, you”re a merchant?”

“No, I”m a nobleman.”

“My apologies.”

“A nobleman who happens to own three shops in Enleran.” He winked at me.

“You wouldn”t happen to sell gardening supplies in one of those shops?”

A single eyebrow lifted this time. “I do. Farming and gardening. What is it that you need?”

“Just some basics. Do you sell plants too?”

“I do. We have a nursery that offers both foreign and domestic plants.”

“Then our meeting is destiny, Lord Casu,” I said and lifted my glass to him.

“Not quite.” Casu smirked. “I knew about you before I sat down. Speaking to you satisfied my curiosity and presented me with the opportunity to offer my services.” He leaned forward to add, “But you inquired first.”

“Services?” I leaned toward him so that we met in the middle of the table. “What kind of gardening shop is this?”

Casu laughed, and as he did, the King swept into the room. Shaleros glanced at Casu, then me, glared at both of us, then went to his table. I pulled out of what must have appeared to be an intimate conversation and hurried to my feet with Casu. The other courtiers were already up and bowing, though Shale ignored everyone.

The King settled on his elaborate sofa, alone at his table, and nodded at a servant. Dinner service began instantly.

With that, the courtiers hurried to their tables. All the Eljaffna flocked to ours. I guess outsiders band together. But I was good with that. I was an outsider too. And I had no problem with Eljaffna. No more than any other immortal race. They were stronger than me and far more resilient, but that wasn”t a reason to fear them. If I functioned on those parameters, I”d be afraid of nearly everyone on the planet. So what if they drank blood? I enjoyed it when Shale drank from me. Well, until the morning after. But now I knew better. I would set limits if I dated an Eljaffna in the future.

My gaze strayed back to the King.

King Shaleros didn”t meet my gaze even though I saw his eyes flicker and shoulders tense. He knew I was watching him. But I didn”t blame him for ignoring me along with the rest of his court. My new sympathy—a new level of it, I should say—prevented me from viewing him poorly. It also increased my bitterness over failing him. Yeah, that”s how I was looking at it. I rushed things, or let him rush things, and instead of helping him, I”d sent him tumbling back into his torment. Fuck.

I looked down at my plate, guilt overwhelming me. I shouldn”t have dined with the court. I was rubbing his nose in what we”d done. Normally, I”d like that thought. Let an ex see what he was missing. But this situation was different. There was no bitterness in me toward him, nor any need for smugness or vanity. Not with what I now knew. Fuck, a baby. Shale had lost a mate and a baby. Sometimes life is so fucked up and unfair, even for immortals.

I decided not to attend dinner the following night or any thereafter. I”d leave him alone. That was the kindest thing I could do for King Shaleros now.