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Vahn jerked upright. The moment shattered and with it, any sense of intimacy they might have shared. He scooped Kara from his lap and deposited her on the other side of the sofa.

“Hey,”

she protested.

He ignored her.

“Come,”

he called. The door opened and one of his bodyguards peered in.

“Apologies for disturbing you, your Majesty. But Lord Vantrax is here to see you.”

“Baelon? Show him into the study.”

“What does that bastard want?”

muttered Kara.

“We’re about to find out. And keep your tongue civil. He is a member of the shintu.”

“He tried to kill us!”

“Which we cannot prove. So you would be wise to keep quiet.”

Kara glared at him.

“Good to know you’re still a jerk even without the teshekalehsh.”

Vahn didn’t answer. He tucked his tunic back into his waistband and strode from the room. Swearing under her breath, Kara followed.

The older Vraxian swept into a deep bow as they entered the study.

“Your Majesties, many congratulations on your recent marriage.”

He straightened, a deferential smile on his face. “I apologise for not being at the wedding. I had a family matter to attend to.”

“Oh?”

said Vahn easily. “I thought it was because you opposed the idea of a human Zhaalini.”

Baelon’s smile faltered.

“I am deeply sorry if I gave that impression. But having had time to consider it, I wholeheartedly approve. I see now the union serves to reinforce the principles of the Chennai Accords. And of course, ending the war is what everyone wants.”

“I am glad to hear you say that, Baelon. I would not want you to be absent when the accords are signed.”

“Of course. And I gather from Lord Davorrian that’s likely to be in a matter of days?”

“It is indeed.”

“Good. Good.”

Baelon’s reptilian gaze switched to Kara. “And may I ask how the new Zhaalini is doing?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

She met Baelon’s gaze unflinchingly. “It’s too bad you weren’t at the wedding. I think you would have found it a blast.”

Vahn gritted his teeth. Was she deliberately provoking him? But Baelon appeared not to notice.

“I had the pleasure of watching the ceremony on the vis-cam recording. I was, er, surprised that you weren’t wearing any of the priceless jewelry from our vaults. It is our tradition that a new Zhaalini wears an heirloom owned by a predecessor. Did no-one tell you?”

He’s trying to figure out why I wasn’t wearing his bomb necklace. Kara smiled sweetly.

“I decided to wear the pendant my mother gave me. It went with my dress. And technically, it’s also an heirloom.”

“Quite so, quite so,”

Baelon said smoothly. “It’s just that I have recently completed the annual inventory of the royal vaults, your Majesty, and it seems the neck chain belonging to the late Zhaalini Isaphore Castellian is missing. Naturally, I assumed it was loaned to the new Zhaalini on the occasion of her wedding. Would you like me to return it for you?”

Kara looked at Vahn. They both knew the necklace had been obliterated in the explosion.

“No need,”

said Vahn. “I’ve put it in my personal security box. It’s perfectly safe for now.”

“It is no trouble, your Majesty.”

“I’ll return it myself. Now, was there anything else? It’s getting late.”

Baelon held up a finger.

“Just one last thing, your Majesty. Did you receive my report about the waste management plant?”

“The what?”

Vahn was mystified.

“You assigned me to oversee the construction of the new waste management plant on the outskirts of Taa’riz.”

He looked at Vahn expectantly and Kara tensed. Nothing in Baelon’s demeanour suggested he considered the job beneath him. But she knew why he’d been assigned such a menial task. And she knew Vahn wouldn’t remember.

“The Zhaal has been busy,”

she interrupted quickly. “And I’m sure you did a great job. We’ll look over the report later this week. Maybe, um, after the banquet when we have more time.”

“The Garana Sana?”

Baelon smiled silkily. “I am attending also. I look forward to seeing you both there. I hear the organizers are planning to outdo themselves on the entertainment this year.”

“Well, don’t let us keep you, Baelon,”

said Vahn, walking purposefully to the door. “I’m sure you must be busy. Thank you for stopping by.”

The advisor took the hint. He bowed and left the room. Vahn frowned at Kara.

“What the drek was that about the waste treatment plant?”

She gave a small laugh.

“Proof you weren’t a mindless alien.”

“Sorry?”

“You were punishing Baelon for something he did. And you were trying to show me you could do it without ripping his arms off and beating him to death.”

“Why in the name of Ayanlesh would I do that?”

Vahn was bemused.

“Because he… actually, never mind. It’s water under the bridge.”

She didn’t want to open that can of worms again but Vahn was adamant.

“It must be something important, Kara. I obviously can’t remember so you’ll have to tell me. What did he do?”

Kara sighed.

“It was during the shaa’baara trials. I’d just got through the first round and he was pissed. He tried to shake me up. Left marks on me. I think he did it to provoke a reaction from you so he could prove you were unhinged.”

In the silence that followed, Kara saw Vahn’s scales darken to a stormy grey.

“He hurt you?”

“Not badly. It was just a bit of bruising.”

“He hurt you.”

“Hey, lighten up. We’ve already been through this once.”

“He. Hurt. You.”

Dammit, he was getting himself worked up into a proper Vraxian rage. Kara stood on tiptoe and shook him by the shoulders.

“Listen to me, snake-boy. You’ve already handled this and you did it without violence. So quit the macho crap, okay?”

He swallowed his anger. Kara was right – this was something that had already happened, it was in the past. He forced himself to relax.

“I am sorry he attacked you,”

he said stiffly. “I wish I could remove Baelon as an advisor, but his shintu status doesn’t allow me that luxury. I will make sure he does not hurt you again.”

“Thank you,”

she said quietly. “Um… do you want to talk about what happened before he arrived?”

Vahn stiffened again. Holy Zandarr, I dodge one minefield only to face another.

“I need to see Rhyn to discuss some palace matters. Do not wait up for me. As we discussed, you may take the bed and I will sleep on the couch.”

He left before she could say anything.

Dammit.

She looked down at the braid of hair still clutched in her hand like a talisman. She’d hoped it would jog his memory but every time she thought she was making progress, he pulled away.

One step forward, two steps back. She let the bracelet drop into the waste-bin.

Vahn didn’t return until long after she was asleep.