It was late, and Eli couldn’t sleep. While his body ached for the woman beside him, his mind played through the events of the day over and over again.

The sultan’s gift hadn’t been spontaneous, of that he was certain. Auburn was a pawn in a larger game, and by giving her to Eli, the sultan had pulled him into it.

Time to learn more.

Tucking the blankets around Auburn, Eli dressed and found the bodyguards outside his door. “Send for Jaelin.”

A guard saluted and hurried down the halls.

Eli paced the room as he waited, his head spinning with possibilities. Auburn’s hair and eye color told him she wasn’t a native to Qumaref. While the desert kingdom had a reputation for abducting foreign citizens and forcing them into slavery, the stories were more fanciful than real. Even the Dragon Church had admitted that much.

Auburn was from his side of the ocean, and while that might explain the sultan’s gift, Eli doubted it. Auburn had told him about the failed discussions with Arren and K’tel.

Premal wanted her for reasons other than her beauty, and Eli suspected the sultan knew it. All the stranger that Pandhuka had gifted her to a foreigner rather than use her to appease a powerful noble.

There was a light knock at the door, followed by the code word.

Eli took his hand off his sword hilt and bid his visitor to enter.

Jaelin slipped into the room as silent as a cat. She wore her plain brown hair tied in a severe knot at the nape of her neck, and she dressed in bland-colored clothes that did nothing for her features. Unremarkable in every way. The kind of woman few noticed or remembered, and that was way Jaelin was so good at her profession.

Jaelin bowed to him as a man would.

“Learn anything interesting about our hosts?”

“A few things, Your Highness. I included them in my brief.”

“Nothing that helps with my current mystery.”

“Heard about the guards. Sligo put us all on alert and taught us how to identify traces of yetha root.”

“Does make you wonder why anyone would go through that much expense and effort for a slave. Especially a slave that’s been in the palace for more than a decade.”

Jaelin frowned. “Interesting, Your Highness.”

“Qumaref’s negotiations failed with Arren and K’tel.”

“You think the two are related.”

Eli lifted his shoulders. “I’d like to know what we’re up against, and you can go places a man can’t.”

The prince told Jaelin what little he’d learned, but he kept his suspicions to himself. He didn’t want to bias her findings.

“I will need time, Your Highness,” Jaelin said. “While she’s the subject of a lot of gossip, getting real information will be difficult. Premal will be easier. He’s a very public figure. Feared and hated.”

Eli paused for a moment. Many had said the same of him, and he hadn’t cared. Perhaps he needed to reassess that.

“Premal struck first, and I’ve put things in play so he knows I’ve hit back. The next move is his. The more information I have on what that move will be, the better.”

Jaelin bowed in acknowledgment and left his room.

Eli glanced back at the sleeping form in his bed. Nothing was going according to plan, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry. Taking off his jacket, he slid into bed beside her and smiled as she curled up in his arms.

* * *

Negotiations resumed the next day, and Prince Eli didn’t return to his rooms until the moon was high in the sky. He was in a dark humor as he sprawled back in an overstuffed chair.

Auburn brought him a class of cold water and a tray of crisp fruits.

He took the water.

“You’re upset.”

“Tired of listening to idiots talk so they can hear their own words. Even my patience has its limits. Only bright side was Premal wasn’t there.”

“That’s very unusual.”

A dark smile curved Eli’s lips, and he sipped his water. “He was ill, or so I understand.”

“Are negotiations going well?” Auburn asked.

“I don’t expect them to this early, but I also expected a level of professionalism that’s missing.”

Auburn helped him slip off his coat, and she loosened the gold dragon clasp on his tunic.

He caught her fingers. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you relax.” She slid behind him and rubbed his shoulders.

Eli stiffened. Normally the touch of another would have made it impossible for him to relax, but this was different, softer, calming. He eased back into her hands, his tension melting beneath her fingers

The prince closed his eyes and let himself enjoy her ministrations. “Where did you learn this?”

“Something we’re taught,” she said.

He cracked an eye. “Very thorough education.”

“I was the sultan’s, and this was a skill we’re allowed to practice on the eunuchs and other ladies in the harem.”

Eli winced, but he couldn’t hold tension under her deft hands.

“Most eunuchs are slaves,” Auburn said. “They didn’t have a choice in their assignment.”

“To do that to a boy...” Eli shook his head.

“There are far worse fates for a slave. They enjoy many comforts for their sacrifice.”

“Barbaric no matter how you look at it, and I’m trying to strike a trade agreement.”

“You might feel differently if you ever have a daughter.”

“Not many girls born to the Dracasan line, but if I have a daughter, she’ll learn to protect herself,” Eli said. “And I’d assign a Knight of Valor to be her bodyguard. They embraced Dracor, and a Knight would rather die than disappoint Him.”

“You would teach a girl to fight? To wield a weapon?”

“Any daughter of mine will be born with enemies, and I’ll make sure she’s equipped to deal with them. I may not be the best teacher, but there are several female Knights. One of them will help her.”

Auburn narrowed her eyes. “There are female Knights?”

Eli smiled at her skepticism. “Damn good ones. I’ll introduce you to them when we get to Tamryn.”

“You allow women outside the royal family to wield weapons?”

“I don’t allow Knights to do anything. They do as the Dragon God wills. Dracor blesses every Knight Himself.”

“You’ve had a tiring day.” Auburn offered Eli her hand. “Rest would be good, and you’ll have another long day of listening to men who love their words tomorrow.”

A smile tugged his lips. “Tempting offer, but I shouldn’t.”

“It’ll be more comfortable with our combined warmth in the cold desert night, and I understand you’re not interested in more than that.”

He traced his thumb over her plump lips and along her smooth cheek. “I am interested, and that’s why I shouldn’t sleep beside you.”

She focused on the floor.

“You don’t understand,” Eli said. “And I don’t know how to explain it to you. How to convince you it’s wrong to make love to you when you’re with me out of obligation.”

“I want to make you happy.”

Eli touched her cheek so she’d look up at him. “What makes you happy?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me.” He dropped his hand to his side as the truth of his words slapped him.

He couldn’t remember the last time someone else’s happiness had meant so much to him. How had this slave girl undone him when trained courtiers had never gotten to him? Something to figure out so it never happened again.

“I have a few things to get done, and then I’ll be to bed.”

Auburn nodded and left him to his notes and papers.

Eli closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, knowing that turning away from her was proper even if it wasn’t what he wanted. Desire bit him, and he forced himself to focus on his mission and the strands of information that laced the idiocy he’d sat through that day.

Eli wrote down the important points and began formulating a plan.

The moon was high in the sky when the prince shoved the notes away and stretched. Sleep tugged on him, and he kicked off his boots and trousers. Smiling at the freshly polished boots waiting for him, he unbuttoned his shirt and set it aside.

Eli glanced at the bed and frowned when he saw it was empty.

His frown deepened when he found Auburn curled up on the floor beside the bed. A throw pillow cushioned her head, and she’d tucked a thin blanket around herself.

The prince sighed, scooped her up off the floor, and deposited her in his bed. Her eyes fluttered open, and a sleepy smile curved her lips when she saw him.

“I thought...” she murmured.

He tucked her beneath the crisp sheets of his bed. “Neither of us is sleeping on the floor. We’ll figure out something better tomorrow.”

Auburn nodded, her eyes fluttering closed again as she cuddled into his warmth.

He knew it was a lie. Once he’d slept beside her and woken up with her next to him, he didn’t want to sleep alone. She was more addictive than any drug.

Wrapping her in his arms, he held her close as he caged his desires and let exhaustion overtake passion.