Because you want it to, RS said but it was without her usual snark. Perhaps you should stop fighting this, El.
Not going to happen.
Suit yourself.
“I will have the wards lowered at the docking tower,” Verin offered. “You may travel directly there; into the air chamber.”
“Um... I've never been to your court, and Shining One traveling stones can only take you to places you can envision.”
King Verin made a grunt that expressed pondering and acknowledgment together. A sort of hmm-rumble combination. “I'll meet you at King Zhavage's docking tower.”
“Okay, that'll work. When?”
“I assume your need is pressing?”
Oh, sweet stones, was he mocking me? My need? Pressing? Did he know the blood was rushing to my face?
“Yes, the situation is urgent,” I confirmed.
“Then come to me now, Elaria,” Verin declared. “I'll be waiting.”
“Okay,” I practically whimpered the word. When I removed the charm and looked up at my men, I found them grimacing at me. I sighed and shook my head. “This is a bad idea.”
“And yet, it's our best option,” Darc concluded.
The men grimaced again.
Chapter Thirty
Verin was indeed waiting for us in King Zhavage's airlock atop his docking tower; a tower with a circular landing pad that was open to the sea and provided access to the Crimson Court via the attached airlock. King Zhavage and a retinue of his guards waited with King Verin.
My eyes went to the Blue Dragon first. If Verin's voice had disturbed me, his appearance was a walking mental breakdown. I'd never thought blue hair could be attractive but Verin's indigo locks—held back from his face by thin yet complicated braids at his temples—was intriguing instead of weird. The color was almost dark enough to be black but the overhead lights set it to gleaming like a sapphire. And as if that wasn't enough blue for the Dragon King, his eyes were an icy aquamarine. Well, perhaps not as icy as they had once seemed. Currently, their color was warming in ways that I didn't want to acknowledge, quickly turning turquoise. I knew what that meant and it didn't bode well for my peace of mind.
Standing beside the extravagant King Zhavage, Verin should have paled or even looked coarse. Instead, Zhavage's crimson hair—left loose to drape down his back to his ankles—seemed too shocking beside Verin's somber and shorter locks. The Red Dragon's fine silk robes with their golden embroidery also made him appear pompous when compared to the Blue Dragon's sedate leather and linen. A peacock strutting beside an ambivalent falcon. Not that Zhavage wasn't entitled to strut; he was a damn fine-looking man who would have been resplendent if Verin hadn't been ruining the effect with his dangerous, apathetic allure. I suppose they should have been a perfect foil for each other, and I wondered why they weren't.
Because you're not attracted to Zhavage, RS said in a duh tone.
This feels worse than it did before, I noted.
Worse? Kyanite asked.
My attraction to King Verin feels stronger.
Because we need him more than ever now, RS answered plainly, once more without sass. That alone spoke to the danger of our situation.
“Queen Elaria!” King Zhavage sprung forward to embrace me like a long-lost friend. “When my brother said you were coming for a visit, I dropped everything to greet you.”
“Thank you, that's most kind of you, Your Majesty,” I said as I returned his hug. “I'm sorry to interrupt your day.”
“You are a welcome diversion.” He grinned at me and lowered his voice. “Even more so for my brother. I bless your arrival, Elaria... and anything else you may wish to do in my kingdom.”
I wasn't about to touch that comment. Instead, I cleared my throat and slowly backed away so as not to spook the beast. Zhavage grinned knowingly but moved on to greet my men and get introduced to Prince Saif. Which left me standing alone before Verin.
“King Verin, thank you again for helping us.”
Verin inclined his head. “It's good to see you, Your Majesty.”
“And you.” I cleared my throat. “Will we need to travel to your court to speak with the seer?”
“Yes, my mother never leaves our kingdom.”
“Your mother?” I gaped at him.
“Queen Savassa is the most powerful of our necromancers and has already consented to help you.” Verin—ugh! King Verin— lifted a brow, his eyes shining with mischief. “Is her relation to me a problem?”
“Not at all,” I recovered. “I was just surprised that your mother is a medium.”
“All Lóng have a touch of psychic power,” Zhavage interjected as he glided back to us. “But Queen Savassa is renowned for her ability to control the dead. I had assumed that was what prompted you to seek King Verin's help as opposed to mine. But now, it appears that you had no knowledge of this fact.”
The question in his statement was obvious and both Zhavage and Verin waited for my answer; Verin with a small smile hovering around his firm lips. I shared a look with my men, and they gave me a look that was the equivalent of a shrug. An eye-shrug.
“It's been...” I cleared my throat again and started over. “Um... We've had some trouble recently.”
“So we assumed,” Zhavage noted dryly.
“How did you get to the Crimson Kingdom so quickly, King Verin?” I procrastinated. “I assumed your courts were placed some distance apart.”
Verin made an amused sound. “They are, but, if you'll recall, we have charms similar to your Shining One traveling stones.”
Verin held up a strong hand and showed me the golden ring on his pointer finger. It was set with a piece of blue coral that matched the chunk he'd given me to contact him with. Evidently, coral was merely a receptacle, not the source of the magic.
“I have loaned a vessel to my brother to transport all of you,” Zhavage interjected. “But, I think you're trying to avoid my implied question, Your Majesty. So, I'll be more direct; why go to my brother instead of me?”
I grudgingly
