Page 12 of Over the Emerald Valley
“I won’t be much of a bother,” Temaj amended with a cheeky smile.
With a huff Solon sat, kicked off the covers, and exposed his powerful thighs, his powerfulnakedthighs, and his plump cock—not fully hard but not soft either, resting like a showpiece on a heavy set of enticing balls—to Temaj’s appreciative gaze. The general scrubbed his face with his hands, then smoothed them over his thick hair. “All right. I’ll ask for your company again tonight.”
“Try not to look so excited.”
Solon rolled his eyes, then tousled Temaj’s hair. “You’re difficult to please.”
“I’m really not. You haven’t even tried yet.”
“And I don’t plan to.”
“You’ll tell me of your adventures, won’t you? That would please me.”
“I’ll tell you stories of soldiering if you want them, though mind you, I’m not a natural storyteller, and the reality is probably more dull than whatever you’ve got in mind.”
Temaj smiled, pushed the covers off himself, and stretched like a lazy cat, hoping to keep Solon’s attention. “And how shall I return to the harem? Naked again?”
Solon’s gaze swept slowly from head to toe. “What did you do with my robe?”
“I can’t sleep in a robe, Solon. It’s folded by the lounge.”
“Wear that, then.” He rose from the bed and headed to the washroom. “You may start by putting it on now, please.”
“Oh, I may, may I?” Temaj ogled the man’s pert ass as he walked away. Instead of getting up and putting on the robe, he rolled over so as to return the view for Solon when the man came back.
With any luck, he’d be spanked for it.
CHAPTER5
Temaj
He wasn’t spankedfor it.
Solon draped the robe around him and sent him on his way without so much as a pat on the ass. Oh well, it had been worth a try.
Temaj strolled back to the concubines’ wing of the palace, taking his sweet time while concocting stories of his exploits with the general. Only when he had a particularly frisky tale featuring candle wax and ginger did Temaj make his entrance—
To find everyone still asleep.
This was what he got for letting the general kick him out of bed so early. He wasn’t sure what the man had expected. Abasi wouldn’t be up at this hour. No one ever saw the viceroy until sundown. He’d said as much, but Solon hadn’t been convinced.
The general would have to find someone else to show him around the mines or whatever it was he’d come for. Temaj didn’t care much for the gaping rows of terraced dirt, the dark pits, or the earthen passages dug into the hills, though he admired the shining emeralds that came from them.
Whispered rumors of tunnels beneath the palace gave him the crawlies, and the miners mostly made him uncomfortable. They emerged from below, slathered in dust, coughing and spitting, their pupils tiny pinpricks after being in the dark for hours on end. Some sneered at the sight of the concubines with their clean skin oiled to a shining luster, flowing wigs, and fancy jewelry. Jewelry made from the very gems the miners broke their backs to pry from the unwilling mountain.
Temaj never knew what to say to them, so he hid in the palace. Besides, it stayed cooler indoors than outdoors, where the sun’s heat bore down on the desert sands with relentless fury. Days were always too warm here and nights too cold. Temaj didn’t know where he was from, but he knew it wasn’t Egypt.
Still wearing the general’s robe, he padded through the harem’s common room, full of lounging pillows, gaming tables, and the knickknacks of its various inhabitants: makeup brushes, sticks of kohl, papyrus, ink and stylus, silks and beadwork. Enough clutter to make even the large, airy space feel cramped.
Outside, the veranda stood empty, the sun having just risen to chase the chill from the air. Blue sky sprawled wide, not a wispy white cloud in sight. Temaj took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He told himself he was lucky to be here, where he never lacked for food or shelter and need not fear for his safety.
But it wouldn’t always be so.
He’d age. His beauty would fade and, with it, his utility. Then what? How long could he stay a prized jewel among the viceroy’s harem when wrinkles began to creep from the corners of his eyes? When younger men like Qeb took his place?
What would he do when men no longer chose him from the lineup?
Ah, but there was no sense in thinking of this now, not with youth and vibrancy still on his side. He put the thoughts out of his mind and shuffled down the hall to the bedchambers.
