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Nyarlothep was known for its many luxuries the smaller islands could never afford. Parlors that traded pampering for coin, restaurants that served rare ingredients and dishes, theaters with nightly performances. It was obvious that those born in the capital were destined for affluence and indulgence, and the men who made it this far were rewarded with the same.

While the constant travel was bothersome, Cailu had grown quite fond of the grander lifestyles offered in Nyarlothep. It was like coming home each time he was called back—despite San being his designated island. The girls here were of a more refined breed, and they treated him like a king. At least, for the duration of his stay, he felt adequately remunerated for the grueling work he put into this world.

One comfort he enjoyed immensely was the large private bathhouses offered near many of the inns. A few extra Bells ensured no prying ears on confidential conversations. He and Naeemah were so often known to meet in the later hours at these establishments that owners rarely batted an eye.

“What did the queen have to say?” Naeemah leaned her head back against the smooth white ivory stones of the bath’s rim. Her dark hair was loosened from its tight hold and fell around her shoulders. Steam drifted from the water’s surface, tracing her bare throat and outlining the sharp line of her jaw.

Cailu breathed in the steam and exhaled slowly, enjoying the rapid surrender of tension in his body to the bath. “As always, Queen Nehalennia regaled me with many words that carried little meaning.”

“Just a friendly visit today, then?” Naeemah asked, still staring at the ceiling. The small lump in her throat bobbed with her words. “That’s unlike you.”

“Not all useless court gossip. A messenger brought word that another man had arrived on Shi Island. It caused quite a stir, as I am to understand.”

Naeemah’s head lulled to the side, her serpentine eyes widening but a fraction. “Matt made it, then?”

“So it seems. He was a wise gamble after all.” Cailu rolled his shoulders and slid deeper into the water. “It is impossible to gauge the Defiled threat he’ll face there and on Ichi. I’ve not been to either in years.”

“With Magni ruling? Ichi’s surely gone to shit,” Naeemah chuckled, but it didn’t warm the sad gleam in her gaze.

“You know I am a man of my word,” Cailu replied.

“Mmhm. And so I keep my patience.” She breathed deeply, and her breasts hovered near the surface.

Cailu drank in the sight of her as he did each time they shared a similar moment. However, they had never engaged in anything more intimate—they never would. It was an unspoken rule of trust between them. It would stain his spotless opinion of her, and she was well aware of what the others that prostrated themselves at his feet meant to him.

“Anything else you learned in your plays at politics?” Naeemah stretched her arms to either side and crossed one shapely leg over the other.

You will never stop tempting me, though. Will you? “We’re needed back on San Island. Shulan and the outlying cities are having a difficult time fighting off both Encroachers and Defiled.”

She frowned. “That’s a shame. We’ve only just arrived.”

“A week ago now,” Cailu laughed. “But it is welcome knowledge that I am not the only one to miss this place.”

“Not in the least. You know that I’m more accustomed to the palace games and administrative work that comes with it. Traveling and fighting are still newer to my repertoire.”

“No one would ever believe that if they’d borne witness to your skills in combat.” He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. “You learn quickly.”

“A compliment? Are you feeling sentimental?” A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“Perhaps. Though, I admit there is a matter that has weighed heavy on my mind as of late.”

“And what would that be?” Naeemah searched for the line of scented oils along the water’s edge and selected her two favorite bottles.

Lavender and cedar. Cailu didn’t have to look to know. “Yomi.”

Naeemah paused, the bottles frozen in her hands, then slowly turned to face him. “What about her?”

“Come now. I thought for certain you would have been the first to notice. You are the same kin after all.”

Her stare turned incredulous. “What a fascinating statement. Did your kin sense when women were pregnant?”

“So you did know.”

Naeemah sighed and uncapped the first bottle, tipping its contents free into her palm. “I wasn’t entirely certain, and I did not want to bring it up unwarranted.” She looked at him with lowered lids. “It isn’t yours, right?”

“You know better than that.”

She hummed, ignoring the blatant annoyance in his voice. “That only leaves one other viable option.”

“That is exactly what concerns me.” Cailu leaned his temples against two fingers. “Would Matt go against me in such a reprehensible fashion? We all understand his… incapabilities, but surely he knew what an act like that would mean?”

Dabbing the ointment beneath her jaw and across her chest, Naeemah slowly nodded. “Just from my observations, I agree with you. He has nothing to gain from slighting you, and in a fight, it was clear who would triumph.”

“That leaves a second, more disturbing option.” The sound of Yomi’s staff ringing echoed in Cailu’s ears, and he wrinkled his nose. That girl was the devil incarnate. In his world before Nyarlea, they would have burned her at the stake at the first sign of her Enchantments.

“You believe she forced herself on him?” Naeemah murmured. The disgust on his face must have been more evident than he’d intended.

“Yes.”

“She– would she–?” Naeemah stammered in a rare loss for words. “That’s tantamount to suicide.”

“It is. Should a man report it to the right people,” Cailu agreed. “However, should Ravyn have discovered it first, I could see her persuading him to keep it to himself.”

“Ravyn? That foul-mouthed [Sorcerer] who abandoned us after a month? I thought her and Yomi had fallen out years ago.”

Cailu grinned as the picture came together. “Ravyn is a sentimental type. Her memories are often more important to her than the present.” He shook his head. “Gods above, I think she would still protect Yomi.”

“What will you do?” Naeemah slid her lathered fingers through her thick tendrils, but her rigid spine belayed that she was still attentively listening.

“If we confront her on the subject now, she’s like to run before anything else can be done about it. And as much as one less kitten would do no harm to Nyarlea, I believe its elimination would destroy any ties built with Matt should Yomi be punished now.”

“So, we act oblivious to her obvious pregnancy and let her have the child?” She separated her hair into halves, pulling one section over each shoulder. “She may believe she can hide it now, but in the third month, it will be impossible.”

“Then you must act as her ally in this. Approach her and keep her confidence. Help her ‘hide’ it from me and reassure her that I know nothing of her betrayal.” Cailu knew he was asking for the grandest feat of deception that Naeemah could muster, but such a deed could not be overlooked. It would establish a dangerous precedent for the other men in Nyarlea.

Naeemah blinked and worked her jaw as she chewed the meaning from his words. After the span of a few heartbeats, she nodded. “Consider it done.” She hoisted herself up over the edge of the bath. The droplets clung against her dark skin, glimmering in the light.

“What can I give you in exchange?”

“The same thing I have always wanted, Cailu.” She stood, wringing the water from her tail in one dexterous movement. “Keep your promise to me.”