I let out a breath of relief as Lieja closed the door behind her and left us alone once more. It was a relief that was short-lived, though. As soon as Lieja’s footsteps disappeared down the hall, Atlanta shot up in bed to glare at me.
So. We were back to that again, apparently.
“Why did you tell her I’d dance for her?” Her voice dripped with accusation. “You know I don’t want to do anything of the sort.”
“And you would not be forced to, if you had the luxury of choice,” I reminded her. “If you want to stay out of cages and dungeons, you will seek to keep Lieja happy. It is as simple as that.”
“And are you going to be seeking to keep Lieja happy?” A new accusation. She was full of them this morning, it appeared—nearly as full as she had been of my seed last night. “If you’re going to offer me up to her like that, you might as well do your part and start sticking your dick in her, too.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Is that what you wish? For me to bed Lieja, while you sleep here in this bed and pine for me?”
“I’m not pining for you.” Atlanta’s scowl deepened in an instant. “Just because we did…you know…last night doesn’t mean I’m in love with you or anything.”
“No one said anything about love, Atlanta,” I pointed out, a small smile tugging at one corner of my lips.
“Yeah, well, good. Because I’m not in love with you.” She turned her head to look away from me and tilted her chin up high. Dramatic little minx. “Last night was a one-time thing. It won’t happen again.”
I chuckled. As willing and generous as she had been last night, she was haughty and high-strung this morning. It did not displease me to see her like this. She had spirit. Plenty of it. One night with her mouth around my cock would not break her of that.
And though I loathed to admit it, she was likely right to put a moratorium on future encounters of that nature. I longed to tell her of my plans for her, to lay everything out and answer all of her questions until she understood the full scope of what we would have to do in order to steal her away from this place, but I knew I could not. The less she knew, the easier our little act would be for her. With that in mind, it was for the best that we did not take pleasure in each other’s company in such carnal ways again.
“I will keep that in mind,” I told her. “Are you awake now, or do you require more sleep?”
She furrowed her brow, then shrugged. “Awake, I guess. It’s not nice, being startled out of sleep like that, but now that I have been…yeah. I’m up.”
“Good.” I pulled myself out of bed and went to the shelf where our clean clothes were kept. Our outfits would be the same as yesterday, the color of Lady Idria’s house. Brixta black. I passed Atlanta her pants and top, then began to dress in my own. “Then shower, dress, and meet me in the gardens.”
“Why?” Atlanta looked to the window. “It’s barely morning. It’s not even light out yet.”
“Because,” I explained as I fastened my belt around my waist, “we are both awake and given that we have nothing better to do—” Like falling back in bed together so I can drive my cock between your thighs. “If you are going to dance tonight, you will need to train today. We have been given the benefit of an early start. We might as well make the most of it.”
While Atlanta prepared herself for the day, I laced my boots and wandered the halls in search of Ronan and Gallix. I found them asleep in the servants’ quarters. Ronan, with all four of his hands folded peacefully over his chest, Gallix hugging a flask of wine he must have stolen from the kitchens. They were nearly as thrilled to be awoken so early as I had been.
“Good morning, warriors. Any news?” I asked, striding into their room as they grumbled and stirred.
“Yeah,” Gallix growled. “Hear ye, hear ye. Local specter is an insufferable prick, wakes innocent soldiers before the bloody sun is even up.”
“Nothing worth mentioning.” Ronan sat up and rubbed his head. “Two of Lieja’s harem members sound most displeased with you, but if what they are saying is true, I imagine you already know that.”
“I do,” I assured him. “Anything from Lunaria?”
Gallix snorted. “Nothing good.”
“We went back to where your ship is stored last night,” Ronan said. “A message from Leonix was waiting for us there. Idria has called upon all of her specters to return to Lunaria. She assumes they are assembling to help manage forces against our allies at Lord Haelian’s palace in the mountains.”
I frowned. That was news. And as Gallix had said, not the good kind. “Idria’s brother is king now. Why has he not called upon the other generals instead?”
“They’ve all pledged to Kloran and Haelian,” Gallix said with a small laugh. I understood why he took joy in that. He and Ronan had both served with Kloran and Haelian for most of their careers. The rebel lords and their human wives had been a thorn in Idria’s side ever since we had first become aware of the humans’ ability to breed with our kind. It was no surprise that it pleased Gallix to see the other generals side with his commanders as well.
“They’re being attacked as they try to return to Lunaria to help Lord Kloran and Lord Haelian, though,” Ronan reminded Gallix. “Having allies doesn’t matter if they’re not able to bring their warriors and ships back to the planet to defend our people from Idria and her brother.”
“Rutharians?” I guessed.
Ronan nodded. “I suppose Idria’s alliance with the Rutharian king is
