Varis choked on a morsel, the rich pulp of a tomato wetting his lips. “All the civilized world beside Monsmount knows of the dung lord! And they have temples to it.”
Ghreid shivered and held himself still as Varis chuckled, the sound a beautiful thing. “Well, in the former port of Monsmount, now a Saurian independent territory, there will be no Baltheir. Only dragons who will carry their messages to the gods themselves.”
“You really believe that?” Varis raised a beautiful brow. He’d shaven them somehow, sculpted the shape of them to his face—so beautiful.
“The gods spoke to us not two nights ago. They gave us a dream together, calling us to become one.” Ghreid couldn’t bear to take another bite.
“I’d like to become one for real, soon.” Varis took another bite with relish. “I long for sweetness. I look to be filled and filled again.”
“Your name, it has meaning in a way to the common tongue. Varis, avarice—” Ghreid busied himself with a bite as Varis nodded. “And in Kaliman?”
“Nothing as ominous, I’m afraid. It’s a name passed down in my family. Something of the sun god, his hand. Loosely translated, it means generosity.” Varis sat his fork down before gesturing his hand, another tell that Varis came from high society, as one did not point their fork at another.
“And what family is this?” Ghreid busied himself with his salad.
“We’re the third Rashiz.” Varis took the last bite of his salad before gesturing toward the tureen of chicken and leaned away as the attendant took his plate, replacing it with another for the main course.
“Ah, that makes sense. You’re well spoken, your manners are refined, and you are a gracious counterpart. The fates and gods have chosen well.” Ghreid sighed and smiled. He knew a little of Kaliman royalty. He was an upper noble, removed from the crown by a generation, a second son of a second son. “I am truly lucky.”
That halted Varis in place, and the color in him drained slightly as he spoke shaking words. “I hold no station. Bearing my marks means I am an offering to Alim. He demands those marked by the heavens be given back to them as ashes. This is why we are ashen.”
Ghreid’s stomach clenched, and the utensil in his hand mangled with an ominous creak. “You were meant to be a sacrifice?”
Varis nodded. “It is why I was afraid to come back to shore. Why I held to the cargo. I sought sanctuary so I was not sent back.”
“You have your sanctuary in my heart. None will take you. I am far more powerful than the orders of extradition of a nationthat has no alliances with Sauria. The bridge is burned, already, so no need to tend the ashes.” Ghreid sat back as an attendant served him and poured a generous glass of his favorite wine, offering some to Varis, who declined.
“That’s refreshing. And is the wine not to your liking?”
“Wine is one thing that often survived a shipwreck. I’ve had my fair share.” Varis offered a half smile before nibbling away at his dinner. Ghreid followed suit, picking at pieces as anxiety twisted his belly. To learn that Kaliman had been sacrificing ashen was a crime that needed to be rectified.Soon.If not by way of treatise, by way of spies. “And I prefer to have my wits about me when I engage in coitals.”
Ghreid stared at his glass for a moment, swilled it once, and took a sip. “Takes a lot more than sweet wine to put me off.”
“Liquid courage?” Varis raised a brow.
“Liquid fire.” Ghreid offered a grin that had the ache of fang in it.
“That has to burn your throat, Lord Dragon.” Varis offered a smile.
“It could no more burn me than you, my beautiful ashen. And once you taste the moon and my promise, fire will no longer oppose you. Though, I suspect you may find it difficult to control.” Ghreid offered what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
“Control?” Varis put his fork down once more, swallowing a bite he hadn’t chewed fully.
“Dragons have magic, and you are a dragon.” Ghreid reiterated his earlier statement but didn’t push. “But we can take measures to wait until you are ready to embrace that.”
“Are there others like me I can speak with? Before I engage in some magic transformations, I would rather like to be informed. I rather like my body how it is, and the demon I know versus the demon I do not.” Varis gestured toward Ghreid,specifically his horns. The temple of Alim had many evil deities, often called demons, and one might suppose dragons could fit the bill.
“Of course. My brother-in-law was a stable boy in Monsmount in some fox hole of an earldom not that long ago. Then again, he turned out to be Rammolian royalty hidden away in the end.” Ghreid waved a hand. “Now, he’s king consort of Sauria. But until you have what you need, I will happily sleep in a guest room. Please, take my nest.”
Varis frowned, staring up from his plate. “Absolutely not. I’m unsure about yourself, but I will be fucked this evening, with Baltheir and Alim as my witness!”
“Quite the exhibitionist, wishing for the gods themselves to watch our performance. And you wish for me to fuck you?” Ghreid licked his lips as Varis signaled for an attendant and politely requested his plate be taken and dessert served.
“How long has it been for you, Lord Dragon?” Varis sat back as an attendant plated pudding and fruit for him.
Ghreid flinched, his cheeks searing embarrassingly hot. “A bit longer than two years.”
“You? Trouble getting a bedmate? You are pretty and sociable.” Varis huffed.
