“Gods, no. That’s what everyone else is doing.”
He sounded aggrieved at that fact, and Arkadi let himself relax a little. “Then I will speak my mind as long as you wish, but I will not do so where it undermines your rule.”
Rodian nodded slowly at that, as if it hadn’t even occurred to him. “That’s probably for the best, but as I wish to appoint youas my official Steward of the Crown, you will not need to worry about holding your tongue.”
Arkadi nearly swallowed his, missing a step and stumbling there in the hallway. Rodian’s hand snapped out cat-quick, catching him by the elbow with a surprisingly gentle grip. “You—what?”
Rodian sighed, dropping his hand after a moment, and Arkadi nearly hissed at the loss of touch. “Let’s get something in our stomachs before we continue this conversation.”
Arkadi could definitely do with a bottle ofikajust then. “Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea.”
Better than nearly falling on his face in shock.
Five
RODIAN
Rodian set his mug of tea down on the table, glad the servants had stopped providing him the tiny teacups he was afraid of breaking. The ruins of the meal lay between him and Arkadi where they sat in the small glass-walled garden attached to the private royal wing of the palace. The walls and roof were made of glass, with a fireplace built into it to help keep the interior warm on cold winter days, such as today. A phonograph played a record in the corner, the sound set so low Rodian couldn’t place the song.
“Well?” Rodian asked. “What do you think of my offer?”
Arkadi reached for the samovar and adjusted the small spigot to pour himself more tea. Rodian had sent the servants off to let the pair of them fend for themselves in privacy, much to their consternation. But he was more than capable of serving himself and Arkadi. “I think people will question your decision and attempt to get you to change your mind.”
“Is that a no?”
Arkadi shot him a sharp, warning look. His frank openness was refreshing. “It is not.”
“Then it is a yes.” Rodian tried not to feel smug and relieved when Arkadi did not immediately deny his words.
“No one in their right mind would say no to the Isar.”
“I had Lidiya pull your family’s records last night. I know none of your bloodline had been infiltrated byrionetkas, unlike most other ivoryanin. I’m not going in blind to this request.”
“That may be true, but my clout amongst the ivoryanin is not as strong as you believe.”
“Lidiya calls you a gossip.”
“I much prefer to be known as a purveyor of information.”
The near haughty tone made Rodian laugh. “Convenient, as I need someone with that background to tell me about the people I must deal with in the royal court and the Council of Ministers.”
Arkadi cocked his head to the side, those glacial eyes staring back at Rodian with an intensity he rather thought others would be surprised to see for one who was thirteen years his junior. “You speak as if the two are different when they are not.”
“Aren’t they?” He’d treated the positions differently back in Verdlovsk. He worked as hard as anyone else handling the herds and making sure the catch from the fishing boats was processed in a timely manner for the town. Governing the town as an ivoryan was much more immediate than the absentee votes he sent back as Minister to the Council via telegram.
Arkadi shook his head. “Maybe up in the far north, but not here in the capital. The Ministers help create laws, but you as Isar have the final say in anything. You are the power in this country, and ivoryanin will vie for influence with you. The best chance they have at that is through their Ministerial duties. The men and women who carry out that duty will use it to try to raise the social status of their family within the court. So you see, both the court and the Council are intertwined where it matters. Youhold all the power, but you can be swayed, and they will try to sway you.”
Rodian grimaced. “That feels more like a hunt than a government.”
Arkadi smiled crookedly, and Rodian’s gaze dropped reflexively to those plush lips. He had a sudden thought of wondering what that mouth would look like wrapped around his cock and had to shift in his chair. It had been a while since he’d last been attracted to someone enough to want to bed them, but he was not going to do that here with the person he’d asked to help him navigate royal life. So he sternly told his cock to stop being so interested.
“You’re not wrong. But you asked for my help in understanding the motives behind those who dance through court and act as Ministers. I will do my best to provide you with that information.”
“Dancing.” Rodian made a face. “I would love if I never had to do that.”
“I take it that’s not what you do for fun up in the far north?”
“I don’t dance,” Rodian said curtly.
