Page 38 of Aria's Desire

“Thank you. You have my apologies, and my regrets, for the hurt she caused your people.” Her gaze moved to Rellik and a pained smile twisted her lips. “You perhaps most of all, my treat. I knew she coveted you. I should have protected you better. I—” she cut off, shaking her head, her shoulders slumping before she straightened them with visible effort.

“Are we still welcome here?”

Aria had to ask. She’d understand if Ishtal couldn’t stomach allying with the people who’d killed her kid, but she needed to know.

Ishtal immediately nodded. “Yes. I meant my words. I long to be as we once were. We will not, if we remain here, removed. It is past time we take up arms.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“We shall begin talks two nights from this. But, first, I believe it might be wise for you to tour my Queendom. Let the people see you, speak with them.” Her gaze became pointed. “Make them fall in love with you. I may be the Queen, but they will follow neither of us if they do not know who it is I am asking them to fight with.”

Chapter 21

Halfway out of the castle, they were beset by a Gaiaeshi boy who, regardless of almost surpassing her own five foot three, looked like he couldn’t be older than twelve trying to sell her… okay, she wasn’t actually sure what they were. She’d thought the shiny things he had pinned inside a hand-carved box were rings at first, but they were either too small for anyone but a baby to wear or large, but not quite big enough for a wrist.

“Tempt you with trinkets for your males, fairdamsa?” he urged, his voice slightly squeaky with the onset of puberty, or the Gaiaeshi equivalent.

Rellik made a choked sound beside her. The mirth in his eyes was her first clue the trinkets may not be as innocent as she’d thought.

Eyeing the kid again, suspiciously this time, she frowned. “Depends. What are they?”

Sure, she could've pretended she knew but why? She was obviously an alien, and she wasn’t so full of herself that she felt the need to fake understanding she didn’t have.

The kid’s eyes, a bright orange, flicked to Rellik in surprise before a smirk curled his lips, quickly hidden when he looked back at her. Adopting a solicitous air, the kid pointed to the different styles and began explaining.

“These are to decorate a male’s horns,” he said, pointing to the large, thick, rings. “These are for his face. Ears here, lips, brows, nose, tongue. These are for his root, the tip or the shaft. These are for his stones—”

She felt her face screw up in shock as comprehension of what he was saying hit her.

“Stop, stop,” she demanded, resisting the urge to shove her fingers in her ears.

Aria had never been more uncomfortable in her life than she was at that moment, listening to thistweenagerrattle on about the different piercings and where they went like he was talking about something as normal as… as silverware!

Looking at the rings, understanding the majority were for a male’s genitals, she had to stop herself from rubbing her forehead, feeling both beleaguered and out of her depth.

Just when you think you’ve seen everything…

“Root?” Sin repeated beside her, sounding confused.

Rellik, being the helpful person he was, leaned forward to meet Sin’s eyes, smirking wickedly. “Cock piercings.”

Sin made a choked sound, much as Rellik had, though, unlike Rellik’s, his was tinged with disbelief rather than amusement. Peering up at him, she had the sudden urge to laugh at the appalled look on his face, which doubled when he unconsciously adjusted himself in his pants.

Shaking her head, she looked back at the boy, wondering why, exactly, he was selling cock jewelry instead of… doing whatever tweenagers were supposed to do.

Whether he caught the look on her face, or just sensed he wasn’t going to make a sale, he hid his disappointment and tucked his goods away with a murmured farewell then turned to leave.

But not before he stumbled and bumped into her in a move that, while not terrible, wasn’t quite smooth enough to hide the tug she felt on her thigh sheath.

Rolling her eyes, Aria reached back and stopped the kid with a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back around to face her. “Give it back.”

Real fear flashed in his eyes. He tried to hide it with a charming smile, but it was too late. She’d seen it, and he knew it. “Give what back, fair damsa?”

Aria softened in the face of his fear and gentled her hold on his shoulder. “You’re not in trouble, kid. Just hand it over.”

He didn’t look like he believed her, but he brought his hand around, one of her throwing knives balanced in his palm, his head bowing with defeat. Keeping her hand on his shoulder so he didn’t bolt, she plucked the knife out of his hand and spun it, her fingers a blur as she twirled and flipped it.

Peeking at him, she caught the awe mixed with covetousness that widened his eyes and smiled. Feeling oddly protective all of a sudden, she asked, “What’s your name, kid?”

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