He stared at me. Not sternly but patiently, as if waiting for me to admit the truth to myself.
“All right, maybe a little. But I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't attracted to you.”
“You don't owe me anything. Don't ever feel that way. I owe you. You're my responsibility, as are all the people of Tabaa, and I failed to protect you. I failed to see Bara for what he was. It took a foreigner coming to my kingdom to expose that evil bastard. I failed you! The least I can do is protect and provide for you now.” He held out a hand. “How about we take this slowly? We like each other. That's a good first step.”
I stared at his hand. This was my choice. He was giving me control over touching him. My breath caught as I slipped my hand into his. He gasped as if I had burned him. I jerked my hand away.
“No!” The King bit his lip and then repeated in a calmer tone, “No, please. I was just surprised at how good it felt to hold your hand.”
Just my hand? No one had ever been satisfied with merely holding my hand. Emboldened by that, I laid my palm against his. His warm fingers wrapped around my hand, engulfing it. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I felt safe. My heartbeat slowed.
“If you don't want sex from me, what do you want?” I whispered.
“Oh, I do want sex, but I want it to be more than that. I want you, Eliel. Not just your body. You. I want to know you. Will you let me?”
“How?”
“Just be open to me. Talk with me. Let me prove that I can be good to you. I need you to trust me. I want . . .”
“Yes?”
“I want to love you. I want to be loved by you. I've wanted it from the moment I saw you walk in with Katai.”
Katai. The King's reaction to Katai's message returned to haunt me. I grimaced. “Do you love Katai?”
He gaped at me. And then he laughed.
I scowled.
“Doyou?” he shot back.
“I admire him. Maybe I could have loved him. But he already loved someone else.”
“Yes, I thought the same thing. Until I met you. Then Katai faded for me. He is like a sunflower, while you are a rose—ten times more beautiful and with the most intoxicating scent.”
“I saw your face when the messenger was announced. You want Katai.”
“I like him. I don't want him.”
“All right,” I whispered.
“You are not convinced.”
I shrugged.
The Dragon King nodded. “Very well. You will learn the difference between a common attraction and what I have for you.” He lifted my hand and kissed it. “Until then, would you help me find the rest of Bara's customers?”
“Yes. I've already said I would.” I drew my hand away.
“Is there anything you can remember about his business? How he shipped items. The moths. The procedures he used.”
“I didn't know what he was using the moths for until you let me read his notebooks. And he didn't talk to me about business.”
“Yes, so you've said. But there must have been things that you saw. Symbols or names written somewhere. Anything might help.”
I frowned, trying to remember. “He received shipments often. He wouldn't let me near them. I assume they were bones sent by the Spider. They were marked.” I frowned. “I'd remember the symbols if I saw them again.”
He nodded. “I'd like you to join me on the raid this afternoon.”
