Beyond the Red (21 page)

Somehow I doubt the message would have reached me with or without warning, but I don’t say that. “Not to worry. I’ll …” I’m dressed in sweaty desert clothes. Coated in sand. Standing in front of
ken Sira-kaï
, who hasn’t looked at Eros yet, who is still smiling at me like I’m not a sweaty, disgusting, embarrassing mess of an
Avra
. I clear my throat. “I should wash up. I will return,
Sira-kaï
. I do apologize …”

“Take your time,” the
kaï
says. He’s still smiling, though it’s a softer, patient kind of smile. “And please, call me Serek.”

“He’s going to kill me,” Eros says the moment my bedroom door closes behind us. “Your brother’s told him about me and he’s going to execute me.”

I shake my head. “I won’t let that happen. I’ll talk to him—we’ll work something out. I gave you my word—”

“You have to let me—”

I grab his shoulders and Eros stutters. His gaze dips to my fingertips on his skin, then back to me. The bump in his throat bobs as he swallows and I can see his pulse racing in his neck. He’s scared and I’m to blame. I never should have allowed Dima to enter the room when Neja revealed his eyes. I’ve endangered him with carelessness, and if he dies now …

Naï
. I won’t let him die.

“Kora …” he begins softly, but I cut him off.

“I swear to you, Eros, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. If the time comes and there is no other way, I will release you, but doing so early will bring extra attention to you and your people, especially considering I just released sixty redbloods last term. If I release you, as well, people will ask questions.” I force a thin smile. “Besides, we don’t know for sure that’s why he’s here. I haven’t spoken to him yet … maybe this is about something else.”

He takes a breath, pulls his shoulders back, and clears his throat. “We both know this isn’t a coincidence.”

I can’t argue with him; not two nights ago I had that argument with Dima after the attack—worse, Eros humiliated him—and now Serek is here. On the off chance Dima hasn’t told Serek about Eros, the threat is clear.

“I’ve shown you that I trust you. Now I need you to do the same. Can you trust me, Eros?”

He bites his lip and watches me for a long moment. I hold my breath—will he not answer, or worse, refuse?—but then he nods.

“Thank you,” I say. “Now we have to distract a
kaï
.”

I stare at the stone-tiled ceiling as Anja—who ignores me like everyone else—dresses Kora. I don’t know what under the suns could be taking them so blazing long, but I don’t really care.

Kora asked me to trust her, and I do. I trust she’ll try to keep my head on my shoulders. I also trust she’ll let me know if my only chance is to run. But if I get the chance early, I may have to take it. Anything if it means breathing a little longer.

The thought of leaving bothers me more than I ever thought it would. I miss the desert—no amount of nice food and cooled air will make me forget the endless sands, open air, and heat of the suns on my skin. But the past few weeks have been more than bearable, and today in the desert with Kora … I almost forgot I’m not supposed to be enjoying myself. That I’m just a slave and she’s the queen of pureblooded Eljan Sepharon. She’ll always be the symbol of everything I cannot be, of everything I don’t want to be.

And yet, part of me wants to stay. Because sure, people still hate me here, but sometimes I think Kora doesn’t. Sometimes I think maybe she sees me, maybe she can look past my ears, almost-markings, and weirdly colored blood. Maybe she doesn’t care that I shouldn’t be here, that I shouldn’t exist, that no one like me should exist. No one outside of my family has ever looked at me like that. Not the people I grew up with, not the women whose freedom I negotiated. They’ll never see me that way, and yet sometimes I think Kora does.

And I’m not sure why or how. But with half my family gone, it’s something I’ll never have again if I leave.

Then again, do I really have it now? It’s not like I can have Kora—she’s going to up and marry some Sepharon royal. I can never have Kora—I can never have anyone, because who would want to be with a dirty half-blood like me? The humans and Sepharon hate me equally, and worse, now I’m a slave. Half-bloods don’t get happy endings, and half-blood slaves don’t even get to think about a future.

Maybe Kora sees me as more than a slave now, but that’s not going to last as soon as she has someone else. Someone she can actually be with.

Someone she actually cares about.

“Eros.”

Kora’s voice snaps me back to the present and I pull my gaze away from the ceiling. She’s wearing a shimmering black dress cut in all the right places. It hugs her curves like a second skin, dips low on her back to a point that meets at the base of her spine, and glimmers under the light as she twirls in front of me and smiles. Stars. She looks incredible.

“What do you think? Sufficiently distracting?”

My mouth has gone dry. I nod once. Lick my lips. “What are you distracting from?”

She arches an eyebrow and gives me a meaningful look:
What do you think?

Right. She’s distracting from me. Of course.

“I think if he looks anywhere except you, he might as well meet up with Daven.”

She smiles. “Good. Now, are you going to escort me to the dining hall or not?”

Dinner passes without incident, thank
Kala
. I pull out all the stops and throw every smile and batted eye I can manage without being obvious, and truth be told, it’s easier than I thought it’d be. Unlike my brother, Serek is a pleasant conversationalist, and I find, much to my relief, that I rarely have to force a laugh.

We eat fruit-glazed fish imported from the southern coast served with crisp blue and purple Inaran vegetables, and we spend a considerable amount of time exchanging stories and smiles as the frozen desserts melt into white stone bowls. Afterward, Serek asks if I’d like to accompany him outside. I, of course, oblige and tell Eros to take Iro to my room and ensure my chambers remain undisturbed—mostly to get him away from Serek.

The night warmth is wonderful on my skin after sitting in the overly cooled dining hall. Although I don’t think he’s been here before, Serek leads me to the gardens, and soon we’re surrounded by the glowing moonflowers and miniature night birds hopping from flower to flower, branch to leaf. Serek sits in front of our grandest fountain—a white stone structure with eight tall spires of violet bottom-lit water. The glowing water fills the garden with a warm golden light that accentuates Serek’s eyes.

After a pause, he turns to me and smiles; his eyes glitter with the stars. “As wonderful as your company has been, I imagine you are well aware that I haven’t traveled here just to visit.”

So here it is. I review the arguments I practiced in my head—no one has to know about Eros, he saved my life and I owe him a debt, he seems perfectly content to stay here, away from the watchful eye of the
Sirae
court.

He pulls his shoulders back. “I’ve come to offer you a marriage contract.”

I open my mouth and snap it shut, then run his words through my head again. What?

What’s the right thing to say? It’s so hard to think with the way he’s analyzing,
naï
, searching me with his gold-ringed eyes. His pupils are dilated and his fingers flex, then press flat against his lap. He pulls his lips together and keeps a soft, careful smile. Oh.

Oh wow. He’s nervous.
Ken Sira-kaï
has come here to offer me a marriage contract and he’s actually afraid I might turn him down.

Does Dima know about this?

“I … don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect …”

He arches an eyebrow and his lips quirk into a small smile. “You didn’t? I understand Daven da Daïvi visited recently for a similar purpose.”

“Well,
sha
, but that was Daven and you’re
ken
Sira-kaï
and I didn’t think …”

Serek grins. “I would be honored to stand by your side here in Elja and father your children,
ol Avra
.” He has the most gorgeous smile and it’s all I can do to focus on his words. He would be honored? He’s
ken
Sira-kaï,
brother of the most powerful man on the planet and second in line to the throne in Safara’s capital, Asheron. And he would be honored to marry
me?
And … father my children?

My stomach swoops at the thought, and I look him over more carefully. Serek, to put things plainly, is a beautiful man. Tall, strong body rippling with toned muscles. Gorgeous blue to gold to green eyes. Perfectly bronzed skin, thick dark eyebrows, and that smile …

Naï,
sharing a bed with him would not be a chore.

I see it in flashes—holding his hand as the priest wraps our hands together with the golden bonding ribbon and we swear ourselves to each other. Lying in bed next to him, with his gentle fingers in my hair and his lips brushing over my skin. Playing with our beautiful, golden-eyed children … I could have a life with him.

I could make my people happy and even find happiness myself with him.

“You don’t have to answer now, of course.” He offers me a gentle smile and my belly flutters. “Take all the time you need to consider my offer.” Serek leans forward, takes my hand in his, and presses his lips against my knuckles. His lips are as smooth and soft as pillows and his grip is so very gentle. He helps me stand and I’m glad for the extra support. My legs are numb and my head is buzzing and did
ken
Sira-kaï
just propose?

“You seem shocked,” Serek says with a slight laugh, releasing my hand. “You’re tormenting me with your silence,
ol Avra
.”

“Kora.” I look up at him. “Please, call me Kora. And I apologize. I must admit your proposal caught me by surprise.”

“I can’t imagine why. Even without your status, I imagine your beauty alone would bring suitors from around the territories.”

Warmth fills my cheeks and settles in my stomach. “I’m afraid my people don’t see it that way. They think Dima better suited for the throne.”

“Truly? I would think him a belligerent ruler, if given the opportunity.”

My eyes widen and my heart skips a beat. Hearing what I’ve feared from someone else—from
Serek
, no less—is like a new breath. The danger is clear to him, too. It’s not just me.

He hesitates, then adds, “May I ask you a personal query?”

I nod. “
Sha.
”

“If your people wish to see Dima on the throne, why not allow them to have what they seek? Give the throne to your brother and live your life as you wish?”

I twist my fingers together and watch the fountain in silence as the lights tint the water deep red.

“The people don’t understand what they’re asking for,” I finally say. “They see Dima as a beacon of strength, as a military leader deserving of the highest respect—which he is, but they don’t know him like I do. They haven’t seen his rages, they haven’t seen how quickly he uses violence.” My fingers trail over the chain in my earring and I lower my hand to my lap. “My mother told me once that Dima wouldn’t be good for Elja, that he’s too much like my father and would reign with fear rather than respect. I understand now she was right.”