King Zohaib’s expression flattened, and he gave his son an exasperated look. “What have I said about including me in your escapades? I do not wish to know.”
Zakai had the presence of mind to look sheepish as he strode to greet his father, his arm crossed over his middle in a polite bow before he dropped it and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. I gave the same treatment to Uttin, who looked worn out, but satisfied.
“I take it that things went well in Yaifem?”
He nodded once. “Things went exactly as planned. The mayor is very apologetic for the way Zakai had been treated, and the threats have been dealt with. The Krathgar Clan has agreed to be a safe harbor for anyone wishing to leave their towns whenthe chaos has died down, and they will send word if anyone shows up so we can retrieve them.”
I frowned. “Not Ilvos? I thought they had volunteered.”
His expression went stony, and Zakai returned to his side, putting a hand on his chest to settle his bondmate. His explanation was crass, but to the point when he said, “We do not trust those assholes. They threatened one of the townspeople because he didn’t want to bend over for just anyone.”
Shocked, I looked at Uttin for explanation. He scowled.
“He’s not wrong. I will explain more, but it looks for now that we are no longer aligned with Ilvos. Their clan leader demands we not return. The same goes for the Velgraz Clan. They are not allowed to seek alliance with Ilvos.” He sighed wearily, rubbing his face with his hand. “There is much we need to discuss.”
Reaching to grip his shoulder, I waited for him to look at me before giving him an understanding look. “Go get some rest. Let your bondmate care for you. I will stay for supper so we can talk. All I wish to know is that everyone returned safely.”
He nodded solemnly. “Everyone is well. Most returned to the clans, but Simon and Feigrind are in their rooms, as well as those in Zakai’s guard who joined us.”
“Good. I’ll check in with you later.”
Zakai dragged him off, and I knew I could count on the little prince to ensure Uttin rested properly. I sighed as I considered what he’d told me. Our alliance with clan Ilvos was already on the rocks after Godr seduced Ambrose, who was meant to be their tribute. I shouldn’t have been surprised that it only took one argument for our alliance to end.
My gaze shifted to the window, where the sun was already beginning to set. I regretted now not bringing Cedric with me. This looked like it might end up being a long night.
“You look like you could use a break,” King Zohaib pointed out. When I looked at him, he looked just as exhausted as I felt.Like he’d been barely holding himself together and now that his son returned safely, he needed time to decompress. I nodded in agreement.
“I’ll excuse myself, your majesty, if you’re in agreement.”
“Please,” he agreed, waving me off. “I need to let Raiza know that Zakai has returned. If she hears it from someone else, she’ll be cross with me. We’ll speak again at supper.”
With a polite bow of my head, I left his office, heading for the room they had made up for me. It was the same room that I shared with Cedric, but it was less appealing now that I was there alone.
To my surprise, Simon was waiting for me, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall next to the door. When he noticed me, he gave me a kind of lazy smirk that almost made me regret escaping King Zohaib’s office. He looked smug for some reason.
“Simon. Welcome ba–”
“Bhortis told me you’ve claimed a male. I demand more information.”
Blinking at him, I was too stunned for a long moment to answer him. I wasn’t sure what to say.
He huffed, annoyed, and pushed off the wall, grabbing the sleeve of my robes and dragging me into my room. When he shut the door behind him, he waved wildly. “There. No one can overhear now. So tell me, is what he said true?”
“Yes…” I answered slowly. “A male named Cedric was in the first group of townsfolk you brought to us. He’s a sweet man, and we have spent some time together. It is my intention to claim him.”
Simon wasn’t one easily distracted by romantic fancy. He raised an eyebrow at me. “That’s it? Because as far as everyone else was concerned, you weren’t interested in males. Was this another Feigrind situation?”
His reference to his bondmate and the way Simon changed his mind about males made me chuckle, and I shook my head. “Not necessarily. His gender wasn’t any issue. I had no interest in claiming anyone since my first bondmate died. It took some time for me to come around to the idea.”
“Have you ever been with a male before?” he demanded.
I shook my head, chagrined. “No. I was hoping to ask you for your advice once you returned. We’ve been intimate, but I know he wishes for more. I am worried I will hurt him.”
I waited for the teasing, or perhaps a surly reply since Simon didn’t seem to like me that much. To my surprise, he marched over to the table in the corner and plopped himself into a chair, pointing at the one opposite him with a determined look. When I joined him, he didn’t tease or cause trouble. He was straightforward, so much so that it surprised me.
“Okay, first thing to know is that there’s no such thing as too much oil. Especially when someone is new to it. Messy sex is better than painful sex. If you think using your fingers might be too much at first, use your tongue. It’ll soften him enough for you to get fingers involved without hurting him. He’ll experience some burn the first few times, that’s normal, but aside from a mild ache, there should be no real pain. If there is, he hasn’t been stretched enough, and you need to slow down. And water is not the same as oil. Do not use water as lubricant.”
When I only stared at him in shock, his familiar scowl came back. “What?”