Zann snorts. “Nothing, it’s just…” he gestures toward the both of us. “Who knew that all it would take for you to lighten up a bit was a little human woman with pretty eyes.” He picks up his silver spork and stabs a purple-colored steamed vegetable, popping it in his mouth and chewing with an open grin. “If I’dhave known that, I would have bought you one myself years ago.”
“Boys,” Lady Zalora grinds out, the warning falling on deaf ears.
Kiahn glares at his brother down the table. “Who says I’ve lightened up at all?”
“Because if this whole thing with Xoe had come out before you got your gorgeous little gift here -said with all due respect-” he adds, casually pointing his spork in my direction, chewing as he gives me a wink “-then I’m pretty sure you’d have forced me into a contract by now… or exiled me.”
“Don’t fucking tempt me, Zannador,” Kiahn growls. “I’ve promised father that you will be making amends to Xoe and her family, so don’t get too comfortable.”
Zann lifts his glass and downs the dregs before reaching for a decanter for more. “So I’ll buy her some pretty baubles the next time I’m in the capital.”
Kiahn shifts in his seat, sighing. “I do not think pretty baubles will cut it this time.”
Zann stares at his brother, but neither of them seem to be backing down. His tongue pokes at the side of his mouth as he seems to be thinking of his next words. Glancing at his aunt, he must see that neither of them are going to relent, or allow him to get off easy with making amends for what he’s done. “You do know that if you force me into a contract I will just refuse to lay with Xoe for the duration. She will go along with it, she’s got her eyes on some males from the Western Principality anyway. She wanted me for fun, not to sire any children. And really, who could blame her?” He says, snorting into his refilled glass.
Lady Zalora lifts a hand, indicating something to the servants that hover along the edges of the room. One hurries forth, carrying a silver tray. Sat on the tray is a tumbler glass containing a small amount of a black liquid that I know to bea very strong liquor. Kiahn had offered some of it to me back on the ship, but I’d taken one sniff of the stuff and concluded it was likely strong enough to make me forget my own name.Lady Zalora, on the other hand -shedowns the shot swiftly in one, murmuring low to the servant to bring another. “If you’re looking for ways to enrage that girl’s father and in turn, the king, by all means, engage in a contract where you two do not mate,” she says to Zann, though she’s fussing with her skirts and not looking at him. “You know very well how that will be received when they find out. Andthey willfind out.”
“Well, then we’ll just have to make use of some contraceptives, won’t we?” he throws back, and just as the words leave his mouth, Vel drops her glass, spilling the fruit drink all over the crisp white tablecloth.
There’s a commotion of gasps as well as a rush of servants leaping forward to clean up the spill. Amongst the fluster, I can’t help but feel flushed as I make eye contact with not only Lois and Jaya, but Vel and Lady Zalora too.
It’s Kiahn’s aunt who recovers quickest, ushering forward the servant offering more of that black liquor, and picking up where Zann had left off as if nothing had ever happened. “Don’t be silly, Zannador. You could get into real trouble if you’re caught using those.”
Somehow, I feel like she’s talking to me. Vel had given me the contraceptives that I’m to use with Kiahn. They are tiny pills that melt on my tongue that I need to ingest just before doing the deed. Vel had said that they wouldn’t be detected on anything - whatever that means. And, if Kiahn questions them, to lie and say that they are fertility enhancers that humans commonly use.
I glance at Kiahn beside me. He’s staring daggers at his youngest brother while he repeatedly stabs at his salad-like side dish with his spork.
I don’t like the thought of lying to him.
But I don’t want to have a baby right now either.
It’s all for the mission. It’s all for the mission. It’s all for the mission,I remind myself, glancing at Lois and Jaya. We all need to stay safe. It might be a lie, but it’s a lie with a purpose - a pretty good one, too. And, it’s not like he’ll care. He’ll be on to the next contract before either of us know it.
Something twists in my chest, but I don’t need any further complications right now, so I stuff all my thoughts to the back of my mind. It feels somewhat reminiscent of how I used to shove all my crap into my closet back when I was a kid, and my mom had said she’s coming to check to see if I’d tidied my room. I used to vow to myself that I’d deal with all that shit later.
I never did.
“Oh, my horns!” Vel exclaims, covering her mouth with her hands.
When I look up to her, I half expect her to have knocked something else over. But she hasn’t. She’s looking directly at me.
“Oh,” Az says glancing between me and Kiahn.
“What?” I have no idea why everyone’s looking at me now. I’m not the one who spilled the drink, nor the one who’s been talking about contraceptives at the dinner table.
Zann whistles low. “Looks like it’s your time to shine, K,” he chuckles, right before Zalora actually picks up her cane and knocks his left horn with it, catching him off guard. “Ow! What? It was gonna happen soon. Aren’t humans a fairly regular species?”
I am utterly lost. “Regular in what way?What is it?” Turning to Kiahn, I see his napkin balled up in a fist on the tabletop as he stares at my chest. His lips part softly and I swear he’s showing a hint of fang. He’s not looking at my cleavage, though. It’s higher than that. His eyes are firmly fixed on the base of my neck where the large piece of tech that looks like a teardrop diamond rests. I look down at myself, surprised to see that it’s changed color. It’snow the deepest, richest, blood red, making the thing glitter like a giant ruby. And… I swear it’s glowing.
“Whoa, why’s it doing that?” Lois asks, staring at the stone now too.
It’s with a hoarse voice that Kiahn answers from beside me; “because my bride is now perfectly fertile.”
27
Chapter 27 - Niska
So, it turns out, that big jewel thing that dangles from my bridal collar? Yeah, it’s like one of those mood rings from my adolescence. Except, it’s giant. And, instead of indicating whether I’m happy, sad, or anxious, it can broadcast to absolutely everyone with eyeballs when’s best to get me knocked up.
