He lifted his head from his book, his dark eyes fixing on her with his typical intensity. "You're troubled."
It wasn't a question.
Areana set her book down, careful to mark the page even though she had no idea what she'd been reading. "It's nothing to concern yourself with, my love. Just silly harem drama."
Usually, those words were enough to turn off his interest immediately, but it didn't work this time.
"Everything that troubles you concerns me." He closed his book, giving her his full attention. "What's going on?"
She sighed, letting worry crease her features. Time to start the performance. "It's Tula."
"What about her?" His tone was polite but disinterested, the verbal equivalent of a shrug. He was asking because he thought that was what he should do to show his support, not because he actually cared about the answer.
Nevertheless, Areana appreciated the effort.
She smoothed her dress over her knees, a nervous gesture she didn't have to fake. "She's been more emotionally volatile than usual lately."
"She's always been like that." Navuh reopened his book, clearly considering the topic closed. "Hot and cold in the span of a moment. I still remember her as a young girl, feisty, defiant, protective of you. I liked that about her."
That was something he had never admitted before.
"I'm surprised you remember." She smiled. "It was on the long road to your father's stronghold. You visited us on the way, and Tula was suspicious of you."
"Rightfully so," he murmured over the rim of his book. "I was seducing her mistress."
Areana laughed. "That didn't require much work. I thought you were the sexiest male who has ever walked the planet."
He lifted his head. "Thought? In the past tense?"
"Still think and always will." She rose to her feet, walked over to him, took the book from his hands, set it aside, and sat in his lap. "That's why I'm not letting you read."
His eyes started glowing. "Are you seducing me, my love?"
She would have gladly done so, even just for the distraction it would provide, but she couldn't. She needed to be ready to leave the moment she was informed that Tula needed her.
Areana sighed again. "I'm too troubled to feel sexy. I don't know what to do with her. I wish we had a psychologist in the harem, someone who could help her work through her issues."
"What about Elias? Isn't a shaman supposed to be a counselor of some sort?"
Areana chuckled. "I don't think that's part of his repertoire."
"Perhaps she's tired of the human? Aren't there any other servants in the harem she finds attractive?"
That was a loaded question because all the male servants were supposed to look at least a little like Navuh in case the ladiesavailed themselves of their bedroom services and conceived. That was the only reason Navuh was showing interest. He had no genuine investment in Tula's happiness or unhappiness. He was just curious, or he thought that she expected him to ask.
The truth was that Navuh didn't like women. Apart from her, he had no appreciation for females at all. They were useful for their breeding potential and for maintaining the harem as a symbol of his power. But he didn't value them as people.
"It's probably about Tony," she said. "But she's running hot and cold with him as well. One moment she clings to him, and the next she looks at him with contempt in her eyes."
"Hmm." Navuh made a noncommittal sound. "I trust you'll handle it as you always do."
Areana let silence fall between them. She should leave it at that, drop the subject, but she needed to establish the narrative for later. When guards came running with news that Tula had jumped, Navuh needed to remember this conversation. Needed to think that his truelove mate had been worried about the unstable woman but hadn't considered suicide a real possibility.
"I'm worried about her. Is there any chance you could get a psychologist for the harem?"
He gave her an incredulous look. "To treat one unstable female? I don't think so. Besides, you are better than any human psychologist I could ever get here." His arms came around her, solid and possessive, and she rested her head against his shoulder. "You've dealt with harem drama for so long that you could write a manual on handling overly emotional females."
Areana closed her eyes and tried to memorize the feeling. After tonight, everything might change. If he discovered what she'd done, this comfortable intimacy would be no more.
