Page 30 of The Dragon King’s Claw (The Dragons of Serai #17)

The King didn't bother me with talk about what had happened between us, and I was grateful for that. He did hold my hand during the ride to the park, but that didn't annoy me. I rather liked it. It helped me focus. He even helped a little.

“We need to look for any recently disturbed soil,” the King said.

I nodded. “I know what section of the park Kun-lo maintained. We should start there.”

“Do you think this murderer would know that?”

“Oh, yes. He's brilliant. Thorough.”

“Not as brilliant as you.”

I looked at the King. Tor'rien. Gods, he was stunning.

I'm not a man to be distracted by such things, but I couldn't ignore the King's attractiveness.

It was too obvious. Too aggressive. And, dare I say, mine?

His words suddenly returned to circle my mind; “I warned you, Tekhan. You belong to me now.” Did that mean he also belonged to me?

It had to. I would accept nothing less in exchange for the risk I was taking.

An ugly thought reared its head along with another memory—that Eljaffna merchant telling me I could have the King forever.

Correction; not a merchant. A dream dealer who had been stalking me.

Oh! Nectar movers! That's what I could tell the King.

I could tell him the truth without betraying my people.

Best to tell him now, before I got distracted again. “While we have a moment, I need to talk to you about the Eljaffna. You wanted to know if they were the threat you heard rumors of.”

The King's expression twitched and he growled, “Tell me.”

“They're nectar movers.”

“They're what?”

“They import frang flowers, distill the nectar into a liquid, and sell it to humans.”

“That's how I know them! I knew I recognized some of them. They petitioned me to allow for the import of the flowers. As if I were an idiot who didn't know their usage.”

I chuckled. “You are no idiot.”

The King's expression softened. “Coming from you, that's a high compliment.”

Was I blushing? Holy fuck! I cleared my throat. “They, uh, thought I had influence over you.”

“Did they?” He smirked.

“Yes,” I hardened my tone. “You should never have gone into Newfangled. You must have known what takes place in there.”

Another twitch. This time, it transformed his face into something bestial. “That was the very reason I had to go in.” He leaned closer. “You and I were developing a relationship, and you went there to take another man's blood! Probably more.”

“Well, of course I did! I was trying to get over you!”

“You will not get over me!”

“I know!”

“Good!” The King blinked. His lips twitched.

“Do not laugh.” I pointed at him. “We're having an argument.”

“A ridiculous argument.” He let out a snort.

“Still an argument. You put yourself at risk by going in there.”

“Where?”

“Newfangled!”

“Why? I had my knights with me. No one was going to attack us.”

“Oh, Gods, grant me patience.” I rolled my eyes.

“I fail to see the problem. I'm the King. I go where I want.”

“Yes, but you went into a blood bar! And you made it very clear that you were there for me. Can't you see how that looked?”

“So what? I'm not ashamed that I take pleasure from your bite.”

Damn it all, I was blushing again. “That's not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

“You are the King. Giving blood to a common Eljaffna in a bar is a weakness that people can exploit. Now they know what you crave and who you crave it from. And that, Your Majesty, is why they took me from my home in the middle of the night while I was trying to solve a case!”

He sat back. “I see.” A deep sigh, and then he said, “I'm sorry, Tek.”

“Tekhan! That is the name my parents gave me. Could you possibly struggle through the whole of it, Tor ?”

The King snorted again. Then rolled it into a laugh.

“You're a madman.” I shook my head. “Absolutely mad. They tortured me, Tor'rien. Fucking tortured me because I refused to use my so-called influence to get you to grant their fucking petition!”

He stopped laughing. “That's truly all it was about?”

“Of course! What else? It's always at least one of three things—money, power, or sex. In this case, it was two out of the three.”

“Why didn't you?”

“Why didn't I what?”

“Agree to use your influence.”

“I don't have any influence over you! I tried to tell them that, but they didn't believe me. Because you came to find me in a blood bar.” Oh, yes, this would work. Blame him. Misdirection. Hopefully, he won't dig too deep. Dig! Shit! We're almost at the park.

I looked out the window while the King sank into guilt.

Yeah, it was wrong, but it was to save my race.

So, he could fucking deal with his guilt.

He rather deserved it after all he'd put me through.

Yes, that's it. It was justice. And I was nothing if not a lover of justice.

Of course, now, I was his lover as well.

And lovers shouldn't tear each other apart. Not even if it's justified.

“Forget it,” I said when we pulled up next to the park. “It's done. I just wanted to tell you why I called them traitors.”

Silence.

I looked over at him. “What?”

“Nothing. I was just . . . it seems a bit extreme.”

“Oh, it does?” I rolled my eyes. “Imagine how it felt to me.” I got up to open the door.

He grabbed my hand and yanked me back down. “I'm sorry that I played a part in your pain, Tekhan.”

I looked away. “I'm sorry I blamed you. It's not your fault.”

“No, it is. Even if it was out of ignorance. I acted on instinct, going in there. Had I known it was putting you at risk, I never would have gone in there. I'd rather you be with someone else and safe than with me.”

I lifted a brow, not certain I believed him. It was too romantic. It felt like something you say without meaning.

“My Gods,” King Tor'rien whispered. “You think I'd rather you be tortured than with another man?

Tekhan, even had I known that I would find you in time and we would come together at last because of your capture, I would have prevented it if I could.

I want you safe. Always. No matter what it costs me. That's what it means to . . .”

“To what?”

He grimaced. “I just realized why you don't believe me.”

“Why?”

With impeccable timing, Sir Vasren opened the door.

“Shit, here I am, wasting time again.” I jerked my hand out of the King's grip and jumped out of the carriage, muttering, “Fucking hormones.”

I oriented myself in a few seconds and then took off running toward the section of Fuleng Park where Kun-lo used to work.

Of course, the areas had changed over the years and some markers on the map in the case file were now gone, but I directed myself using the street as a starting point.

Soon enough, I stood on a path that ran through the center of Kun-lo's old territory of the park.

The King caught up to me as I scanned the area. He didn't continue our argument, thank the Gods. Instead, he waved his knights out. “Look for any patch of disturbed ground! Hurry!” And then he rushed ahead of me, scanning to either side of himself as he went.

That's not the way I worked. I had to conduct a survey first—see it all so I could track it in my head.

Work through it. In seconds, I calculated what spots would be best for burying a body.

It would have to be somewhere as far from the path as possible.

Somewhere with some cover. Those trees. Maybe.

That bush? No. By the bend? Absolutely. But further in.

There were even more trees there—a miniature forest of them.

I ran for the trees.

Not a nature man, I stumbled through the undergrowth. My focus was on the ground, which helped except for the obstacles above. I batted aside branches with growls and then violent smacks. But then I saw it—a person-sized patch of fresh soil.

“Here!” I shouted. “Over here!” And that's when I realized I hadn't thought to bring a shovel. “Oh, fuck me.” I dropped to the ground and started scooping up dirt with my cupped hands.

Crunches and cracks came from behind me as the King and a couple of knights converged on me through the woods.

“Oh, fuck,” the King muttered. “Find a gardener. Get us shovels!”

“Yes, sire!”

And then he was beside me, his royal hands flinging dirt and his pants getting stained by the soil.

At that moment, I forged an emotional bond with the King far stronger than I thought possible.

I had sensed danger from the beginning. I just hadn't realized the threat was against my psyche.

My core beliefs. The foundational reasoning that I based my life upon.

Now, that foundation was shaking. Cracking.

I had to admit that emotions could magnify a relationship and transform it into something more than mere lust. I was feeling things for Tor'rien.

Deep things that could take root and grow into more.

No going back. I had been warned. I'd done most of the warning myself.

In the past, I listened to myself. But Tor'rien changed me.

He changed everything. There was no going back now—that's what I deduced as I watched a king dig in the dirt to save a life.

“Damn it,” I muttered and grabbed Tor'rien's hair. It was falling into the dirt and getting in his way. I pulled it back and tied it in a loose knot.

As I returned to my frantic digging, the Dragon King slid a smile my way.

“Not now!” I hissed at him. “I was just helping you work more efficiently.”

He grunted.

A few minutes later, his knights returned with several other men and a lot of shovels. There were too many shovels for the area we needed to dig up. So, the King eased me back, out of the way, and we stood together, holding dirty hands as human gardeners and Dragon knights dug up the past.