embarrassed him to have the Eubians treat him this way. He didn’t know how to respond, so he “solved” the problem by not reacting. Not only did it make no difference, his remote behavior seemed expected.
“We have a visitor, Your Highness,” the lieutenant said. “Corbal Xir, High Lord of the Xir Line.”
Ah, hell. His escape from his cousin had just ended.
10
Silver
T oo many Aristos came to dinner.
Admiral Xirad Kaliga, Joint Commander of ESComm, hosted the affair in his home to welcome Jai and Corbal to Sphinx Sector Rim Base. He invited the local Aristo aristocracy. His child-bride, Xirene, presided over the festivities, unceasing in her chatter.
Reclining at the high table, Jai felt so far out of his depth, he wondered that he didn’t drown. Xirene was the only person even close to his age, and she had years of experience in Eubian society. Even with his barriers at top strength, his mind reeled under the onslaught of so many Aristos. Their minds weighed on him until he thought his head would burst from the pressure.
The excruciating day never seemed to end. At least no one else mentioned his visit to the Lock. Jai prayed they hadn’t captured Kelric. If they had, they should have told him, but he didn’t know if they would. Maybe they were toying with the emperor they would soon accuse of treason. Or maybe they had no idea Kelric had been there. With his barriers up, Jai couldn’t discern if the Aristos even knew the Lock had died. It seemed impossible they could be oblivious to such a dramatic change, yet either no one had noticed or else they were more adept at pretense than he realized. For all he knew, they had been grilling him all day, in their convoluted discourse, and he just hadn’t known.
Twelve people sat at the high table: Corbal Xir; Xirad Kaliga and his wife Xirene; Jaibriol Raziquon, high lord of the Raziquon Line; and other Aristos Jai couldn’t remember. It overwhelmed him. He didn’t see how he could survive as the emperor if he couldn’t even make it through one dinner.
Providers served the food and poured wine. A pleasure girl leaned over to fill his goblet. Jai tried not to stare, but he couldn’t stop. Silver hair floated around her face in glossy curls. She had silver eyes too. Her skin was flawless, almost translucent, with a rosy blush. She wore nothing but a silver G-string, silver collar, silver wrist and ankle cuffs, a silver chain low on her hips, and silver rings circling her nipples. He couldn’t figure out how her incredible breasts stayed up that way with no support.
The girl straightened gracefully, holding the carafe. As she turned to a table behind her, Jai had an agreeable view of her backside. When she bent over the table, he had to struggle to keep his hands to himself.
“You,” a harsh voice said. “Silver hair.”
The provider froze. Then she turned to the table. Irked, Jai looked to see who had disturbed his appreciation of the girl. It was the man with his own name, Jaibriol Raziquon, who, as far as Jai could tell, did nothing but live as hedonistic a life as possible, soaking in his own riches and that of his similarly wealthy companions.
Raziquon was watching the silver girl with malice. “What, do you plot against His Magnificent Highness?”
Spots of red flushed her cheeks. “I—I don’t know what you mean.”
Neither do I, Jai thought. What was Raziquon about?
Unexpectedly, Corbal answered. Reclining in a lounger on Jai’s left, he spoke coldly to the girl. “Perhaps you put an extra draught in his Highness’s drink, eh?”
Her face paled. “Never, most esteemed sir. Never, I swear it. I swear.” She dropped to her knees next to Jai and bowed her head. “Please,” she whispered.
What the hell? It mortified Jai to have her kneel that way. She was a strong enough psion that he caught hints of her mind even through his defenses. She had no intention of causing harm; she had been distracted by how pleasing she found his
“We have a visitor, Your Highness,” the lieutenant said. “Corbal Xir, High Lord of the Xir Line.”
Ah, hell. His escape from his cousin had just ended.
10
Silver
T oo many Aristos came to dinner.
Admiral Xirad Kaliga, Joint Commander of ESComm, hosted the affair in his home to welcome Jai and Corbal to Sphinx Sector Rim Base. He invited the local Aristo aristocracy. His child-bride, Xirene, presided over the festivities, unceasing in her chatter.
Reclining at the high table, Jai felt so far out of his depth, he wondered that he didn’t drown. Xirene was the only person even close to his age, and she had years of experience in Eubian society. Even with his barriers at top strength, his mind reeled under the onslaught of so many Aristos. Their minds weighed on him until he thought his head would burst from the pressure.
The excruciating day never seemed to end. At least no one else mentioned his visit to the Lock. Jai prayed they hadn’t captured Kelric. If they had, they should have told him, but he didn’t know if they would. Maybe they were toying with the emperor they would soon accuse of treason. Or maybe they had no idea Kelric had been there. With his barriers up, Jai couldn’t discern if the Aristos even knew the Lock had died. It seemed impossible they could be oblivious to such a dramatic change, yet either no one had noticed or else they were more adept at pretense than he realized. For all he knew, they had been grilling him all day, in their convoluted discourse, and he just hadn’t known.
Twelve people sat at the high table: Corbal Xir; Xirad Kaliga and his wife Xirene; Jaibriol Raziquon, high lord of the Raziquon Line; and other Aristos Jai couldn’t remember. It overwhelmed him. He didn’t see how he could survive as the emperor if he couldn’t even make it through one dinner.
Providers served the food and poured wine. A pleasure girl leaned over to fill his goblet. Jai tried not to stare, but he couldn’t stop. Silver hair floated around her face in glossy curls. She had silver eyes too. Her skin was flawless, almost translucent, with a rosy blush. She wore nothing but a silver G-string, silver collar, silver wrist and ankle cuffs, a silver chain low on her hips, and silver rings circling her nipples. He couldn’t figure out how her incredible breasts stayed up that way with no support.
The girl straightened gracefully, holding the carafe. As she turned to a table behind her, Jai had an agreeable view of her backside. When she bent over the table, he had to struggle to keep his hands to himself.
“You,” a harsh voice said. “Silver hair.”
The provider froze. Then she turned to the table. Irked, Jai looked to see who had disturbed his appreciation of the girl. It was the man with his own name, Jaibriol Raziquon, who, as far as Jai could tell, did nothing but live as hedonistic a life as possible, soaking in his own riches and that of his similarly wealthy companions.
Raziquon was watching the silver girl with malice. “What, do you plot against His Magnificent Highness?”
Spots of red flushed her cheeks. “I—I don’t know what you mean.”
Neither do I, Jai thought. What was Raziquon about?
Unexpectedly, Corbal answered. Reclining in a lounger on Jai’s left, he spoke coldly to the girl. “Perhaps you put an extra draught in his Highness’s drink, eh?”
Her face paled. “Never, most esteemed sir. Never, I swear it. I swear.” She dropped to her knees next to Jai and bowed her head. “Please,” she whispered.
What the hell? It mortified Jai to have her kneel that way. She was a strong enough psion that he caught hints of her mind even through his defenses. She had no intention of causing harm; she had been distracted by how pleasing she found his
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