I leaned forward. “Is there any bad blood between you and the other sea kingdoms?”
Jucai grimaced. “Not that I know of. How could there be? We haven't been awake long enough for such things.”
“What about before you went into hibernation?”
“No, nothing. Honestly, even if there were, it would have been softened by the centuries. I doubt anyone can hold a grudge after hibernating as long as we have.”
“Perhaps it has nothing to do with animosity. It may simply be a power play.”
The Sea King sighed and looked out the window. “I highly doubt it. On land, where you have divvied up what little you have into hundreds of kingdoms, I can see why one king might covet another kingdom. But the sea kingdoms are vast, with much unclaimed land between them. There are only eight sea kings, and our courts are small. There is no reason to invade another kingdom, nor would we need to destroy another king to increase our power.” He looked back at me. “Frankly, it's too much work for very little gain.”
The carriage stopped at the gate, and a guard came to the window. He took one look at me and waved us through, calling out, “Welcome home, Lord Nadar.”
As the carriage rolled toward the Royal Palace of Zaru, I grinned at Jucai. “Welcome to my world, Jucai.”
Chapter Fourteen
Barracks lined the circular courtyard, with a stone arch set amid them, directly across from the gate. We stopped before the archway, our carriages keeping their line. I got out first and stood aside for the King to climb out. As Jucai and I waited for our guards to unload the carriages, a uniformed attendant came down the mosaic path beneath the arch.
“Lord Nadar,” the human man said. “Welcome home.”
“Thank you, Theo.” I motioned to the trunks. “Have some men take the trunks to guest rooms for King Jucai and his guards.”
“Yes, my lord. The King is in a meeting with his advisers, the Prince, and the Duke.”
“Thank you, I'll escort King Jucai to him.”
Theo nodded and ran off to find men to bring in the trunks. Meanwhile, my guards finished unloading the trunks, said goodbye to the Sea Dragon guards, and followed Theo.
I paid the carriage drivers and motioned to the path. “Your Majesty?”
“Leave the trunks,” Jucai said to his men.
They moved into formation around Jucai and me—two in the front, one to either side, and two in the back. Now, this was how I expected a king to be guarded.
I motioned toward the arch, and we moved as a unit, passing beneath the arch and through a corridor of date trees that bordered the mosaic path. I kept glancing at Jucai, wondering what he would think of Zaru's Royal Palace. The tiles beneath our feet featured bright, geometric designs and shone like glass. At the end of the path, the palace waited in serene glory. A symphony of spires, terrace gardens, and gilded domes. Wooden latticework covered many of the windows, and the kingdom's symbol—the a'alya bird—featured in many of the carvings.
At the top of white steps, a pair of massive, heavily carved doors opened as if on their own. Two Ricarri guards came into view as we surmounted the stairs. They bowed as we passed, and one of them welcomed me home.
“Was that one of your lovers?” Jucai whispered as we left the heat for the cool entry corridor.
“Who?” I frowned, looking behind us. “The guard?”
Jucai nodded.
I chuckled. “No, I've never been with a palace guard.”
“He was large with pretty skin.”
“They're called Ricarri. They have their own kingdoms in the mountains, but many hired themselves out as soldiers or guards. Their skin possesses minerals that give them that silvery sheen.”
“Ricarri,” he mused. “I don't think I've ever met a Ricarri.”
“Most are brutish, and I like my men a little more refined.”
He raised an eyebrow and smirked.
“This palace was built by the first Dragon King of Zaru.” I motioned at the polished wood panels that formed the walls, each one carved with geometric designs and highlighted with inlaid pieces of tile in contrasting colors.
