It was not all she had said. The first message, she had laughed at.If your parents can’t pull us apart with a wife for you, what hope has my father with a husband for me?Her tune had changed when her father sent two burly demon guards to compel her acquiescence by beating me to pieces and threatening to twist my head off. I could still see Astrid’s face, contorted in rage, sadness, and fear as she called her father’s hitmen off. I could hear her words as she knelt beside me, lifting my chin so I could look into her eyes.I’ll see what he wants, then I’ll come back for you. I promise.
Only she never did come back. She walked through a portal and became the Emperor. I couldn’t even claim this jubilee counted as our triumphal reunification since she hadn’t known I was coming until I was spun into her arms on the dance floor.
Most of the demons nodded approvingly at my condensed story. One raised a tankard. “To duty.”
“I’ll drink to that,” the Stelsylvanian princess said, her voice still quiet, but her presence noted.
The assembled individuals drank as one, then broke into smaller groups, leaving Princess Marie, Lady d’Lyre, and myself in a group together.
Lady d’Lyre narrowed her eyes as she glanced at this newcompetition. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’ve met. Who are you again?”
“An unforgotten ally,” I interrupted. “Now, Princess, I believe I promised you a dance?”
“Indeed, you did,” Princess Marie said, giving her glass to a waiting servant and extending her hand to me.
Lady d’Lyre had other plans. She put down her half-finished drink and snaked her arm around mine. “Lovely to meet you, but if you’ll excuse us, the Consort promised me a dance.”
“Truly? I applaud you, but I do believe I have the prior claim,” Marie replied.
Lady d’Lyre’s grin turned predatory. “That sort of formality may matter in your little stellar principality, but we Federation republicans have a more freewheeling style. Don’t worry, I won’t use him up before you get your hands on him.”
I gave the princess a conciliatory smile. I would rather have shrugged the Federation woman off, but I could not afford to offend our strongest ally. “I promise, you’ll have the next dance.”
Lady d’Lyre’s grip tightened around my arm. “Oh, don’t say that. I was hoping my conversation would be diverting enough for two dances, at least.” I finished my drink, then allowed the noblewoman to pull me onto the dance floor.
A waltz began, and I placed my hand on Lady d’Lyre’s bare back to spin her about a bonfire. Firelight and shadows played across her face, rendering it nigh impossible to read, but I could see the arrogant curl on her ruby lips.
“How do you find your new role as Consort?” she asked.
“Exhausting,” I admitted.
“Worn you out already, has she?” Lady d’Lyre said with a smirk. “I heard she has stamina.”
I could have refuted the allegation, but d’Lyre might be expecting that, so I chose a different tactic.
“Stamina and skill. Honestly, I don’t know if I can return tocoitus normalisafter her.”
“That good?”
“Better.”
Lady d’Lyre shrugged. “Ah, what a shame. If only I had zeroblade fingertips. How can I hope to compete with a woman who might kill you with her ecstasy?”
I leaned in, pressing her chest lightly to mine and whispering sensually in her ear. “The danger makes it more exciting. I’d say you should try sex with a demon, but I don’t think you’re her type.”
“Female?” d’Lyre quipped, her lips brushing my cheek.
“Fragile,” I retorted, enjoying the slight slip in her smile as I pushed her away for a spin. “But how go your liaisons? I’ve heard a great many tales about Prince Aureli’s prowess in diplomacy en deshabille.”
Lady d’Lyre had regained her composure. “A lady never tells.”
“My mistake. I thought you were a diplomat,” my mouth said before I could restrain it.
Lady d’Lyre tried to laugh off my insult. “Such manners – I would have thought you from the Despotate.”
“No, my lady, merely from the army, but now that I’m a diplomat, I find there is nothing I would not do to advance my Commonwealth’s cause,” I said.
“Nothing?” Lady d’Lyre asked, a purr returning to her voice. “Not even seduce an enemy or ally?”
