“No, please.” Shale lifted a hand and cut off the apology. “I didn't say it to make you feel bad. I just wanted to help your next visit go better. Now, let's celebrate our good fortune. To your crown and my consort.” He held up his glass to King Vaxarion. Not to me, mind you.
“To us!” King Vaxarion clicked his glass against Shale's.
I rolled my eyes. There was something annoying about two powerful Dragons toasting each other's good fortune. Yeah,maybe I was having a moment of bitterness over my race, but I think I was allowed. This was supposed to be my feast, King Vaxarion had even bowed out of any honor, but Shale had just made it about them. As if I was property, something he had won as King Vaxarion had won his crown. Maybe that was kind of sexy, the whole winning me part, but the property part not so much.
“I don't think I shall take consorts,” King Vaxarion said.
“Oh? Why not?” Shale asked.
“Hold on.” I leaned forward to look at both men. “A king can take multiple consorts?”
“Well, I don't know how it is on land, but Sea Dragon Kings can do anything they wish. Currently, I have twenty-three bed slaves, all given to me as tribute when I took the throne. But I've considered—”
“Twenty-three?!” I shouted.
The dining hall went silent.
I flushed as I looked out at the courtiers.
“Return to your meal,” Shale said to them.
The court looked away.
Meanwhile, King Vaxarion laughed his ass off.
“Sorry, Your Majesty,” I muttered.
“Not at all.” King Vaxarion waved it away. “I'm interested in why you found that so shocking. Do you not have bed slaves, King Shaleros?”
I slowly turned to look at Shale, my expression one of you-had-better-give-the-answer-I-want-to-hear-motherfucker.
Shale's lips twitched.
“Shale!” I snarled.
He lifted his brows at me.
“I mean, Your Majesty!” I corrected but used the same tone.
Shale laughed as he took my hand and rubbed it reassuringly. To the Sea King, he said, “No, we don't take slaves up here. Not bed or otherwise. And in Latur, we take only one consort.”
“Really?” King Vaxarion's eyes widened. “But how do the other races show respect?”
“They obey my laws,” Shale said. “We don't believe in enslavement.”
“Oh, it's all willing and only lasts a few years,” King Vaxarion said. “It's seen as an honor to serve Sea Dragons, especially if they're chosen as bed slaves. Especially if they're chosen as bed slaves to a king.”
“An honor,” I muttered.
“That's fascinating,” Shale said.
I glared at him.
He winked at me.
“So, you only take one consort?” King Vaxarion asked.
“That is up to the individual king,” Shale said. “As I said, in Latur, we take only one consort. If I wanted to take multiple lovers, I would refer to them as my concubines.”
