Crown of Fire (Book 3 in the Crown Trilogy)

Six

The Esspress emperor's sixth wife was quick to answer my request for an audience with her husband. As Borin predicted, her response implied she would ask for a favor in return before she brought me before the emperor. I need at least two fully manned battleships to comfortably pull off the rescue mission, and the kingdom to our north is my only hope of procuring them. But the thought of Lasandra asking me to service her in any sexual way has my stomach in knots. I've given my body to a fair share of women, enjoyed their company and taken my pleasure, but I have no desire for meaningless fucking anymore. My body has only one purpose: pleasing one woman. I'm finding it difficult to justify any reason to give what I've given to Raelle to Lasandra, even if it is to bring my parah home.

"You look like you're going to vomit."

I yank my hand from my pocket, releasing the Eporri, and snap my attention to Rowan. The young soldier sits tall on his father's massive black stallion—Nortus. During most of the trek through northern Pliris and into Esspress, he has held his tongue and didn't veer too far from me. He didn't even put up a fight when I ordered him to remain with me instead of staying behind with the one hundred and twenty soldiers on the other side of the mountain range. He is eager to fight, to avenge his sister. I understand all too well that need, but his safety comes first.

"I'm not looking forward to my meeting with the Esspress ruler or his wife," I say.

"Are you going to give in to her?" Rowan asks.

Looking down the red clay road ahead, I say, "I'm not sure. This is our only hope of getting Raelle back, and we need her help."

"You should do whatever it takes. Raelle can heal from a broken heart. The same can't be said if Zek continues to hack away at her."

My hand finds its way into my pocket again, and I brush my thumb over the stone inside. He's right. Zek will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He has no love for Raelle. Her capture was a power-play. What happens to her means nothing to him. The same can't be said for me.

"If I betray our bond, it will do more than break her heart. I don't know if I can inflict that kind of pain on her."

A thoughtful hum rumbles in Rowan's throat, and he falls silent.

The gray sky opens, releasing a constant drizzle of rain. It taps against the scale-like plates of Rowan's black armor, joining the clapping of horse hooves. We ride side by side and take in the scenery of the Esspress kingdom. Thick layers of moss cover the trunks of the massive trees, and beneath them, mushrooms litter the ground with bulbus red and orange heads. The air is heavy and laced with pine and soil. Despite the wet weather and what lies ahead of me, this land is beautiful.

"What do you think Raelle would do if roles were reversed?" Rowan asks, earning a sidelong glance from me. "What if the only way to save you was to do something she didn't want to do?"

I run my hand over the back of my neck and turn my face up, allowing the rain to wash over me. "She would do it without a second thought."

"I think you have your answer then."