After interviewing three familiesin Molsi this morning, I had been surprised when Kai offered to explain more about the magical blight over a bite to eat instead of treading back to the palace. Side stepping a vendor selling grilled meats, I catch the shifter king looking down at me from the corner of his eye.
“What?” I ask, pausing my steps to let a small shifter run ahead of me on the stone pathway.
“Do royalty in the Mage Kingdom always dress so casually?” At the look he sees on my face, he adds, “I don’t mean it as an insult. I just assumed—”
“That dressing down is frowned upon? You seem to allow it in your own court,” I interrupt, dragging my gaze down his body.
Kai keeps his attention trained ahead but the flex of his hand at his side betrays him. He wasn’t really asking me about clothing, he was comparing my kingdom to his.
“I choose clothes for comfort, as is generally the case back home, excluding official royal events.” Kai’s eyes flick back down to mine. “Though if your assumption of me was that I’d be a docile female prancing around in flowy garb, then I’m happy to have destroyed the illusion.”
Kai snorts, shaking his head before looking forward. “Always so quick to think the worst of me.”
I suppose I couldn’t refute that. He leads me to a small hut set a few feet farther back from the other businesses, a male leaning against it while a group of young shifters chase each other nearby. The male’s curly black hair is pulled back, a few of the shorter strands hanging loose from his ponytail.
“Your Majesty,” he says, dipping his chin as he rights himself. “And Lady…”
“Just Bahira,” I answer. We stop right as the most delicious smell coats the air, the savory herbs and spices making my stomach growl.
“I am Adrian.”
“What is that incredible smell?”
The male smiles broadly, his arms spreading out wide. “The king can attest, I cook the finest food in all of Molsi! The usual for you, Your Majesty?” I look to Kai, who nods, his lips still set into a grim line. “And for you, Bahira?”
“Whatever is your favorite to make.” Adrian hastens into the hut, and a young male breaks from the group he’s playing withto follow him. “He seems happy to see you,” I say, somewhat surprised by such an outright display of excitement towards Kai when I’ve only seen the opposite so far.
Feeling my stare, he turns his head towards me, and immediately, my throat tightens. I hate the way he draws a reaction from me without even trying, my own curiosity begging me to etch away at every layer of armor he hides behind.
“He’s a good male.” His eyes leave mine to roam my face, my hair, and then my body, the act more like he’s studying something he doesn’t quite know what to do with than it is sexual in nature.
“Here we go!” Adrian’s voice breaks our connection, both of us drawing in a deep breath.
“Thank you, Adrian,” Kai says gruffly, grabbing two paper bags from him and paying him for the food before turning to walk in the direction of the beach.
“It was nice meeting you,” I say with a wave.
Adrian waves back, his other arm going around the small male who went into the shop with him. “And you, Bahira. Enjoy your meal!”
I jog to catch up with Kai, the stone beneath our feet eventually giving way to sand. He guides us towards a shaded spot between two shorter palm trees, taking a seat and setting one of the bags out in front of him. He waits until I sit down before handing the other to me. Quietly, we dive into our food, each of us holding a different wrap filled with warm vegetables and grilled meat. Kai’s is nearly twice the size of my own. The first bite I take draws a low groan unbidden from me as I tilt my head back dramatically.
“This isfantastic.”
“I’ve been going to Adrian’s since I started living at the palace full time.”
“And how long has that been?” I ask.
“About ten years.”
“Have you been king for that entirety?” I’m embarrassed that I don’t actually know.
Kai shakes his head, waiting until his bite of food is chewed and swallowed before answering. “No.” He gives me nothing else.
We eat in silence for a few more minutes before I tell him I officially met Jahlee.
“She told me,” he responds, taking another bite.
Unsurprised, I laugh as I tilt my head. “She is—” His eyes snap to mine in warning. “Vivacious,” I settle on. The corner of his mouth lifts for a moment before falling into that straight line once more.
