“Romantic. Sounds like he loves you too.”
“No.” I shook my head violently. “No, he can't.” But then I saw Vax again, huddled on the bathroom floor, miserable because he'd made me a slave for refusing to become his consort. “No,” I whispered.
“Yes, Zix.” Teng laid his hand on my shoulder. “You should have seen him. Bursting out of the sea to land on the deck in his man body, furious and anxious. His stare wild. All that hair.” He snorted. “All those muscles. And every one of them was dedicated to finding you. King Vaxarion was the most glorious man I'd ever beheld, but he was also desperate. I've never seen a desperate Dragon before, not of land or sea.” He frowned pensively and added, “It was rather terrifying.”
“But that was after only one night together. One night and he was desperate? That doesn't make sense.”
“It must have been a glorious night.”
I swallowed roughly, then said, “It was.” I shook my head. “He asked me to stay with him.”
“He did?”
“Yeah. Said he was going on a tour of the land kingdoms that border Morilren. He wanted me to go with him.”
“And you said no because of us?”
“That and the fact that he flat-out said he couldn't promise to be true to me.”
“What?” Teng scowled. “That's not the way to win a man.”
“No shit,” I said. “That's also when he told me he has twenty-six bed slaves.”
“Well, he is a Sea Dragon king. All the undersea races toss slaves at the Sea Dragons like flower petals. Willing slaves. And the kings get the pick of the bunch. You can't blame the man for taking what's offered. Besides, it sounds as if you benefited from it.”
“Excuse me?”
“The guy is obviously experienced. It's no wonder you had an incredible night.”
I snorted a laugh and shoved him. “Twenty-six, Teng. And guess what reason he gave for being unable to promise me fidelity.”
“What?”
“That he's a king. He said it as if it explained everything. Sorry, sweetheart, I would be faithful to you, but I'm a king. It's just not possible.”
He snorted. “Well, I mean . . .”
“Teng!”
“No, I understand how you feel. I wouldn't want to be one of many, nor do I want that for you. But I think something has changed since then. He offered to make you his consort, Zix.”
“And he offered to release his bed slaves,” I admitted.
“Wait. What? You just said—”
“That was the first night. He offered to release them this last time,” I cut him off. “Before I left Shasenai. He said he'd release them and that he'd be with only me. That he could offer me monogamy now.”
“Zix,” Teng huffed. “Why didn't you lead with that?”
“Because it doesn't matter. You know how men are when they want something. We promise whatever we have to. It doesn't mean we'll keep our promises.”
“That's ridiculous. I mean, yes, for some men it's true. But in light of all he's done, I don't think it's fair to say that about King Vaxarion. He followed you, Zix. He saved you when I couldn't. I fucking owe him. But I also saw the truth in his eyes. He's a king with everything, but all he wants is you. I can't believe you didn't see it too. You shouldn't have left him.”
“I had to come back to my family. To my real life.”
“Zix,” Teng paused, then said, “Your loyalty humbles me. That day I found you, when I decided to take you with us, I swore to your dead father that I would raise you as best I could. Look after you. I know we never spoke about what we are to each other, but I hope you think of me as a father.”
“Teng, of course, I do. You're my family. I have wonderful memories of my first father. He gave me a good childhood and loved me. And I think he'd be grateful to you because you did the same. You're my father too. I have never been more proud than the moment you introduced me as your son.”
