Page 35 of Consort of the Dragon King

“That’swhat you’re taking away from this?” Auslin incredulously asked. “That’s hardly the real problem here.”

“If I had done so, Kio would not have informed Nasume, who would then have no reason to be here,” Kitsuki rationalized. “Kio’s death would have prevented that course of events from occurring.”

Auslin huffed with irritation. “I would rather have Nasume here than Kio dead. At least now we can deal with Nasume once and for all and get him out of our lives.”

“As Nasume is the ruler of Kunushi, it is inadvisable to kill him,” Kitsuki stated, the fact galling him.

The mage threw his hands up with an irritated noise. “Is killing people your go-to solution for everything now? Because I’m not okay with that.”

“In these two specific instances, it would be an ideal permanent solution to unwanted problems. Kio and Nasume cause far more problems than they are worth.”

Auslin pinched the bridge of his nose, then took a deep breath to calm himself. “I am asking you not to kill them. I may hate Nasume, and Kio may well deserve it, but I’m not okay with having their deaths on my conscience.”

“Even if it means Maseo dies?”

The mage blinked at Kitsuki several times in confusion. “Why would letting them live mean Maseo dies?”

“Because Nasume was not lying when he said he would kill Maseo before he could be with me.”

Auslin rubbed his forehead. “And why would Maseo be with you? I feel like I’m missing something here.”

“I was trying to anger Nasume enough to make him storm off.”

“I’m still not understanding.”

“I thought the worst thing I could say to Nasume was I would rather be with Maseo than him,” Kitsuki said with a shrug. “When he smelled I was not lying, he made threats about cutting off Maseo’s hands and laying his corpse at my feet.”

Auslin continued blinking at Kitsuki as he tried to process everything. “Why was it not a lie?”

“Because if my only choices were to be with Nasume or Maseo, I would choose Maseo. He does not pose the same threat to me and has been nothing but respectful to me. You also harbor a fondness for him, which seems to be wearing off on me. Whereas Nasume has never met a boundary of mine he would not cross.” Auslin still seemed dazed, so Kitsuki made things clearer. “I am not saying I desire Maseo. I was merely trying to wound Nasume so he would run off in a rage. The only person I will ever want is you.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Auslin lost some of his defensiveness. “You don’t think Maseo is in danger now, do you? Nasume wouldn’tactuallykill him, right?”

Kitsuki hesitated. “I cannot say one way or the other. Nasume is too unpredictable. But it would probably behoove Maseo to steer clear of his father for the time being.”

Auslin worried his lower lip with his teeth. “I hate I don’t have a way to get in touch with him to warn him. I don’t even know what kingdom he would be in now that he’s not with Kio.” He looked at Kitsuki with fear on his face. “What if Nasume really goes after him when he leaves here?”

“If you do not know where Maseo is, it is highly unlikely his disinterested father knows.” When that failed to reassure Auslin, Kitsuki tried the next best thing to soothe away the guilt they both felt for turning Nasume’s attention to his son. It truly had not been Kitsuki’s intention. “I can have one of Jaega’s spies try to find him. I cannot promise they will be successful in finding him, but it is the best I can do to give you peace of mind.”

“I appreciate that. But what about Nasume and Kio?”

“What about them?”

Auslin frowned. “I want to hear you say you won’t kill them.”

“I just told you that killing Nasume is inadvisable because of his position,” Kitsuki pointed out, causing Auslin to scowl at him.

“And Kio?”

It pained Kitsuki to say out loud. “He shall live for now.” He couldn’t shake the feeling that Kio would bring more harm in the future. It was hard not to be a little resentful that Auslin was tying his hands in not being allowed to rid them of such a troublesome creature.

Auslin gave Kitsuki a pointed look. “Only for now?”

Even Kitsuki had his limits. “I will not make a blanket promise of guaranteeing that mongrel his life forever. I reserve the right to take action in the future when Kio proves himself to be the threat I know him to be.”

“All he does is run off his mouth,” Auslin argued in an aggravated tone. “That’s not grounds to kill him!”

“For now,” Kitsuki conceded, rankling Auslin’s ire further.

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