Selene laughed—until the reminder of him inside her stole her next breath. “You godsdamned pirates.”
He smirked as he settled back into place, skin to skin, breath to breath. “You love pirates.”
“I lovethispirate.” She squeezed her thighs around him for emphasis. “I loveyou.”
Augustus swept hair from her temple and kissed her nose. “Forever?”
“And ever.” Selene linked her ankles at the small of his back and wiggled her ass. “Now, finish what you started before you give all pirates a bad name.”
His answering smile stretched across his face. “You’d better hold on, then,i psychi mou. I’m suddenly in the mood to show you a few new things.”
Dimitrios entered the main hall currently occupied by most—if not all—of Court. Early on, he’d identified this room as the heart of the palace, grandiose and opulent with its soaring ceiling and towering marble columns. The high-arched windows with stained glass panels filled the room with sunlight during the day, but night had fallen, and the palace slaves were in the process of lighting the wall sconces and chandeliers with dozens of candles per arm.
Servants in simple, neutral-colored chitons wound through the room with trays of food or silver decanters of wine. Courtiers held out their crystal glasses without breaking the conversation anytime one passed.
On the room’s far side was the raised dais, where Dimitrios had stood five months ago and announced his identity to this very room. The entirety of the council sat there now, whispering amongst each other under the fan of giant palm leaves.
Stavros Salidis, the Inquisitor, sat silently within their circle of lounge chairs, his gaze fixed on Dimitrios. As soon as their eyes met, he stood and walked away from the men, winding around the hall of lounging courtiers,ignoring every curious gaze he passed. He declined the offer of food and drink from a few servants with a raised hand.
“My Lord,” Stavros said once he stood before Dimitrios.
“Inquisitor.”
Stavros swept a bland look across the room of overly jeweled courtiers. “I’m afraid you won’t find much in the way of entertainment this evening. Unless you have an ear for the latest gossip.” His mouth twitched as if attempting a smile that he couldn’t quite summon. “With your mother absent, there’s no one to plan the nightly events.”
“Sounds like a problem for a king. Or the High Chancellor, in this case.”
How difficult would it be to assign this task to someone, such as the new Head of House? Milonia was already proving quite capable of filling her role.
“I was thinking more along the lines of a Queen Consort,” Stavros said, “but it doesn’t appear you have any interest in one of our Ladies?”
Dimitrios itched under the stare of a few of those Ladies in particular, whose names Pandora had left in his rooms. “Should I take your question to mean you’ve finally made a decision?”
Stavros shifted his weight and lowered his gaze. “There are still some remaining concerns we need to address about your loyalty to Perean.”
“Who—exactly—is concerned, Inquisitor?”
“The Council. The people.”
“Thepeople? The everyday men and women I’ve spent months getting to know outside these insular walls?” He laughed from low in his gut. “The people aren’t as worried as you would have me believe.”
The inquisitor frowned. “Yes. I’ve heard you spend a lot of time out in the streets of Praevia. I understand you’ve also visited the mines. Why was that?”
“To see the treatment of the slaves with my own eyes. I’ve also traveled outside the capital and spoken to the tenants and farmers in other cities and townships. Should I have spent the last five months courting eligible Ladies instead?” He unleashed his most derisive smirk. “Local gossip in lieu of adult conversation won’t prepare me for ruling Perean.”
Dimitrios learned long ago that true success and loyalty started with hearing from the workers themselves, not from accepting word of mouth at face value. Maybe that was a simpler task while managing a vineyard, andmaybe it would be impossible to hear fromeveryoneas king, but he would try.
“Last we spoke, you intimated that you’re prepared to make sacrifices for Perean. Some might suggest your loyalty still resides in Wairia.”
“I miss my home and family; I won’t deny that. But I made a choice to come here, and in a way, I’m already sacrificing a part of myself in doing so.”
“Mihail Vidalatos sacrificed his dignity and his life for his people.”
“And now you want me to do the same, is that it?” Heat steadily rose from his chest and up his neck. “Should I move into the tower now or later?”
“That’s not what I?—”
“My dignity is on full display every time I have to speak with the staff, or members of the Royal Guard, or literally anyone with the smallest semblance of power and duty. I’m a goddamn joke inside these walls.”
