Chapter Twenty-One

The King had said I could purchase things in the city and send the bill to the castle. So, the next morning, I visited Casu”s farming supply shop with him.

I was surprised to see that Casu was right about the way people viewed Eljaffna. Not that I had doubted him. It”s just that dinner the night before had been so relaxed. Even though our entire table was only Eljaffna and me, I hadn”t sensed any negativity directed at us. Well, except for the King. He glared at us a few times.

So, I thought Casu had exaggerated things.

He had not.

When we strode into his huge shop on the outskirts of Latur, his employees—none of them Eljaffna—scrambled to assist us, but without getting too close. And his customers gave us an even wider berth. I frowned at the display. As a human, I was used to receiving poor treatment from the other races. Not this, granted, but still. To see one of the immortal races being treated like monsters was baffling. And a bit vindicating, if I”m being honest. It was nice not to be the lowest life form in the room.

But Casu soaked it up. Well, from his employees. He didn”t relish it from his customers. I think that was more about business though.

“You can”t hire your own people, can you?” I asked after we had explored his shop, and I placed an order. A large order. Damn, it was fun to shop with someone else”s money.

Casu led me to the shop”s main door, past displays of shining shears, clippers, and other cutting tools. “No,” he admitted. “That upsets me the most. But my income would drop if I had Eljaffna salesclerks.”

“Fucked up.”

“Yes, indeed.” He opened the door for me, then cocked his head as I passed by. “How about some lunch?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Do you like seafood?”

“I love it.”

“Wonderful.” He waved me into his carriage as he told the driver, “The Hooked Fish.”

“Yes, Sir,” the driver said.

Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting at a table with an ocean view, dining on succulent crab legs and grilled fish.

“This is amazing,” I said. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“It”s the least I could do after you spent so much of the King”s money in my shop.” He winked a blue eye at me.

Suddenly, he reminded me of Shale. His hair was too golden, his eyes too dark, his body wasn”t big enough, and his skin was too pale. But there were enough similarities to remind me of the Dragon King. Enough that I could see where the King took after his mother. But it also showed me the ways he did not. His Dragon side had given him more bulk than your normal Eljaffna man. He was lean for a Dragon but large for an Eljaffna—his shoulders broad and thighs corded with muscle. But he had the teeth, didn”t he? The sharp Eljaffna fangs and the need for blood.

“I think we”ve become friends now, haven”t we?” Casu asked.

“Sure. Why?”

“Are you comfortable telling me what happened between you and the King? We all saw you leave with him, and someone saw you two in the castle later that night, holding hands. But now, he glares at you. And you sat with us.”

“You noticed that glare too, did you?”

“How could I not? He was glaring at me too.”

“And yet you still dined with me.”

Casu snorted. “I”m not afraid of the King.”

“Right. Cause you”re a wicked Eljaffna just like him.”

He snorted a laugh. “Just so.”

I paused, took a bite of food, then said, “I fucked up.”

“How?”

“I let things go too far too soon.” I shrugged. “He”s . . .”

“Broken. Go on. You can say it. It”s just us here. And I meant my offer of friendship. I will not betray your confidence.”

“Thank you, Casu. And yes, he”s broken. I knew I had to proceed carefully with him. Not only is he still affected by the death of his . . . well, his family, but he”s never been with a man.”

“And you”re human.” Casu pointed at me with his fork.

I grimaced at him.

“I”m just saying that if he started a sexual relationship with you, he would do so knowing that there would be an end. You will die, and he”s already lost a mate to death.”

“Yes, that”s true as well. He even mentioned it. We had issues before we began.”

“And you still ended up in his bed.”

I sighed, knowing that if I told him this, he would share it with his friends. Despite what he said about not betraying my confidence, this was a secret too succulent to keep. But we”d been seen holding hands. The court probably assumed Shale had bedded me.

“Yeah,” I said. “And he wasn”t ready for that. He thought he was, but he wasn”t.”

Casu nodded, ate, then pondered the view. “Just because he”s broken, it doesn”t make him a child.”

“What does that mean?”

“You”re not giving him enough credit. You act as if you are responsible for everything that happened between you. As if you”re the adult in the relationship. He is a grown Dragon man. He has loved and lost, something rare but not completely unheard of among Dragons. And he—”

“What do you mean? Dragons have survived losing their mates before?”

“Oh, yes. Usually with a bit of magic.”

“Magic? You mean there are spells to save Dragons from the death of their mates?”

“Certainly. Although, they”re not specifically for that. My people have several spells that will dampen love.”

“Why would you want that?”

He shrugged. “Many people would prefer to not be weakened by that emotion. Granted, the only time a Dragon seeks such spells is when their mate has passed.”

“Do you think that”s what King Shaleros did?”

Casu shrugged again. “I have learned enough by others assuming things about me to never assume things about another.”

“But it”s possible?”

“Certainly. I would venture to say that it is more likely that a spell saved our king than his Eljaffna blood.”

“A spell,” I whispered. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

A memory of Shaleros popped into my head—of him saying that everyone assumed they knew how he had survived. And that their assumptions were wrong.

“Why do you care?” Casu asked. “Has he gotten under your skin already? Is it because he”s broken?”

“Because he”s broken?”

“Some men like to save their lovers. It makes them feel powerful. Heroic.”

“I do want to help him,” I admitted. “But not to make myself feel powerful. And that”s not why I”m attracted to him.”

“Then why?”

“He”s handsome and funny and damn good in bed.”

Casu burst out laughing. Some of the other diners winced and glanced at us warily.

I looked around at them, then at Casu. “I thought there were similarities between the way our people get treated. But I was wrong. There”s a huge difference between scorn and fear.”

“Ah. Yes. Humans are magic-less, but we are monsters.” He grinned. “I much rather be a monster.”

“You know, I would too. At least you can get into all the nice restaurants.”

Casu burst out laughing again.