Chapter Thirty-Three

“Puppy,” Shale muttered.

“What?” I asked.

“You”re acting like a puppy again. Like you did when we first met.”

We were walking down the castle corridor, heading toward the special sitting room that was reserved for important guests. And yes, maybe I was bouncing with excitement. But I didn”t think it was at the same level as when I”d met Shale. Not that I was going to tell him that.

“Well, I”m excited to meet a Sea Dragon,” I said.

“More excited than when you met me?”

I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from smiling. “I had met a Dragon king before I met you.”

Shale stopped, his grip on my hand tightening, and glared at me.

I stared back, eyes wide and innocent.

He narrowed his eyes.

I smiled brightly.

“You”re teasing me,” Shale said.

I grinned wider. “You”re so easy to tease.”

“I don”t like your excitement over this man.”

“It”s not him in particular. It”s his race. I was nearly as excited to meet the Litoto.”

“Only the Litoto?”

“Well, the Osomah and Zaknir too, but I love iridescence.”

“Iridescence?”

“Yes, the shimmering colors of their wings. I think it”s beautiful.”

Shale frowned again.

“I would have taken a Litoto lover if we hadn”t gotten involved.”

Shale growled.

“All right, enough, Shale.” I wrapped my arms around him and lifted my face. “I”m sorry for teasing you.”

He didn”t kiss me.

“Come on,” I whined. “I can”t help admiring something beautiful. But I only want you.”

Shale sighed and covered my lips with his.

With that soft touch, the castle vanished. It was just us, standing in a void, with only sensation to guide us. I could feel every hard curve and dip of his body through his thin garments. He seemed to swell into me, his presence pushing through my skin until there was no separation. It was magical. I let myself get lost in it. Drowned in it. In him.

A throat cleared.

Still, we didn”t separate immediately. That wasn”t possible. Slowly, Shale pulled back, and I let go. Our lips lingered, brushing lightly before we gave up at last. Then Shale turned toward the interruption with a growl.

A man was leaning in the doorway a few feet down from us. He was similar to Shale in build, with a sleek, muscular body shown off in a snug vest that made his loose shirt conform nearly as tightly to his chest as his pants did to his thighs. His corded thighs. Boots in supple black leather went up to his knees, and the white of his shirt brought out the gold in his tan. His face was oddly handsome, with soft, full lips but a harsh, almost sharp bone structure. And his eyes were purple. Fucking purple. So lovely, all of it, but it was his hair that fascinated me.

Long, thick, and wavy, it was black, but not just black. The man”s hair shone with the same sort of iridescence of a Litoto flight feather. Green, blue, and purple. A rainbow across a midnight sky. I had never seen hair more beautiful than his.

Shale growled.

My stare shot to my lover. He was staring at the man”s hair too, but in a very unhappy way. He slid that furious stare to me.

Oh, fuck! Iridescence!

“Shale, it”s a coincidence,” I said.

He growled again.

“I”m sorry, have I done something wrong?” the man drawled.

“King Vaxarion?” I asked.

“That”s right.” He looked me up and down with open interest. “And who are you?”

“I”m Sebastian Dahl, Consort to King Shaleros.” I waved at Shale, but he continued to glare at me. “Shale!” I hissed.

The Dragon King of Latur swiveled his deadly stare back to the other king. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Holy shit!” I exclaimed.

The Sea Dragon King laughed. He laughed and laughed until he bent over with it. He laughed so hard and long that Shale finally came through his irrational fury and settled into a frown.

“I”m so sorry, Your Majesty,” I said to the Sea Dragon. “King Shaleros and I have been out in the sun all day. We are weary.”

Eyes still gleaming with amusement, King Vaxarion straightened and stared at us. “Are you mates?”

Shale flinched.

I closed my eyes with a grimace.

“I guess not,” the Sea King said.

“It”s a long, very personal story,” I said. “Um, why don”t we sit down and have a drink?” I waved at the doorway, then looked at Shale. “A drink, Shale? Yes?”

He grunted.

“I”ve already been drinking, but I”d love to continue with you,” King Vaxarion said and turned around.

Shale and I followed the other king into the room, Shale”s knights doing their in-front and behind thing. Inside, several men stood at attention along one wall. More Sea Dragons I assumed. The Sea King”s Guard. Shale”s guards went to stand along the wall opposite them. Between the Dragon knights, the two kings sat down on wide, low couches that curved around a round, squat table. King Vaxarion looked just as comfortable as Shale upon the short seats. I sat down beside my lover, and he immediately snatched my hand and set it on his thigh.

“I love your décor,” King Vaxarion said. “We prefer this sort of sofa too. All the better to sprawl upon.” He leaned onto a cylindrical pillow and grinned at us.

Oh, he was so not helping.

All right, a consort should ease situations like this right? What do I do? How do consorts act? Say something cosortly, Sebastian!

“Shall I pour?” I waved a hand at the drink service that had been left on the table between the couches.

There was a pot of coffee, a jug of water, and a half-drunk bottle of wine. King Vaxarion”s glass bore the remnants of red liquid. So I picked up the bottle of wine and lifted it in question.

“Yes, thank you,” King Vaxarion said.

Shale grunted.

I poured three glasses, including King Vaxarion”s, and handed one to Shale. And I did it all one-handed since Shale refused to let go of me.

“Sorry,” I said. “It”s been a long day. Welcome to Latur, King Vaxarion. I hope we didn”t keep you waiting long.”

Before King Vaxarion could reply, Shale said, “Do not speak for me, Sebastian.”

I winced, my chest aching suddenly from that barb, but nodded. “My apologies, Your Majesty. I was trying to fill the silence.”

“I”ve obviously offended you somehow, King Shaleros,” King Vaxarion said, finally going serious. “I know we Sea Dragons don”t have the same ideas of propriety that you of the land do. Our cultures are different. Mine is certainly less modern than yours. So I apologize for anything I”ve done that you saw as inappropriate.”

Shale blinked slowly, his jaw clenching.

I stared hard at him, widening my eyes.

The Dragon King of Latur sighed, his shoulders releasing some of their tension. “I apologize as well, King Vaxarion. It was nothing you did, but rather a comment made by my consort just seconds before our meeting. I”m afraid it triggered my jealousy.”

“A comment you made?” King Vaxarion looked at me. “You”re his consort?”

“Yes. Uh, it was nothing.” I waved it aside. “Let”s just move past this.” I lifted my glass.

“Indeed.” King Vaxarion leaned forward to click his glass against mine.

Shale added his glass to ours, and the tension in the room finally dissipated.

“Thank the Gods,” I muttered just before I drank deeply.

“Welcome to Latur, King Vaxarion,” Shale said. “But I”m confused. I thought King Shosu ruled Morilren?”

“He did. That”s actually why I”m here. King Shosu stepped down.”

“He stepped down? But you are only recently awoken.”

“Yes, and he awakened in more ways than one. Shosu realized that he wanted more from life than ruling.” King Vaxarion shrugged. “We held a crown tournament, and I won.”

“Congratulations,” Shale said. “You could have sent a message.”

“As I said, I know our cultures are different. I wasn”t sure if it was proper to announce my rule in such a manner. I thought it might be more respectful to introduce myself in person, at least to the land kings whose kingdoms border mine. It is important for us to have an accord, I think.”

“That is very considerate and wise of you, Your Majesty,” I said with a heavy look at Shale.

Shale grimaced. “It is indeed. I”m sorry to have kept you waiting so long.”

“Not at all.” King Vaxarion waved his hand. “Your staff supplied me with refreshments and offered me a guest room to rest in.”

“I”m glad to hear it. You”re welcome to stay, of course. I had a feast planned to celebrate Sebastian”s new status, but I”m happy to add your victory to our celebration.”

“New status?” He glanced from Shale to me.

“I have only just made Sebastian my consort last night.”

“Congratulations to you both,” King Vaxarion said. “That”s very generous of you to offer to share your feast with me, but I don”t wish to take any glory from either of you. I will gladly stay, but only as a guest so I can get to know you better. I haven”t gotten the opportunity to spend much time on land. The last time was when Karadas summoned us to his temple.”

“I was there as well,” Shale said.

“Yes, I remember you.”

“You do? I”m sorry. I don”t remember you.”

“It”s your hair.” King Vaxarion waved at Shale. “So like our God”s and just as striking. It makes you hard to forget.”

“It certainly does.” I grinned at Shale.

“Oh? You”re not disappointed that it doesn”t shine with iridescence?” Shale lifted a brow at me.

“Let it go, Shale,” I growled under my breath.

The Sea King chuckled. “I understand now. It”s my hair, isn”t it? Your consort likes the color?”

“I like iridescence,” I said. “But it can be found in a beetle”s wing too. That doesn”t mean I want to kiss a beetle.”

King Vaxarion burst out laughing. “Oh, you are amusing. How lucky you are to have found him, King Shaleros.”

Shale, now grinning, said softly, “You have no idea how lucky I am.”

“Aw, now that”s sweet,” King Vaxarion said. “I”m glad you”ve gotten over your jealousy, as your consort hoped.”

Shale lifted a brow at King Vaxarion.

The Sea King held up his hands. “Not that it”s any of my business.”

“No, it”s fine. You were trying to be polite,” Shale said. “I am overly sensitive about my consort.”

King Vaxarion grinned. “Are you sure he isn”t your mate? I”ve been reading up on it ever since Karadas granted us Sea Dragons mating magic too. Dragons get possessive, irrationally possessive of their mates, even before they”ve mated. Sometimes even more so before they”re mated.”

“Yes, I know,” Shale said in a clipped tone.

“Then couldn”t Sebastian be your mate? You”re certainly showing the—”

“No,” Shale and I said together, me a little more bitterly than Shale.

King Vaxarion”s eyes widened. “Very well.”

“I must make some adjustments to the feast,” Shale said as he stood, drawing me up with him. “I”ll have you escorted to your guest suite so you may freshen up before dinner.”

“Thank you, King Shaleros.” The Sea King stood with us and held out his hand. “I look forward to dining with you later.”

“Thank you for coming personally to inform me of the change in rulership.” Shale nodded to King Vaxarion, then all but yanked me out of the room.

He didn”t stop yanking on my hand until we were at the entrance to his tower. Then Shale picked me up, tossed me over his shoulder, and carried me upstairs.