A kiss beneath his gill, then one above it. Then a nibble at the hinge of Austin’s jaw, just beneath his ear. His body jewellery tinkled as a hand slid up his spine. Tristan’s grip firmed on Austin’s thigh, pulling him in as he tipped his hips, rubbing his erection into Austin with a pleased groan. Austin hissed, tightening his grip on Tristan’s shoulders, shivering as his arousal flared bright and sudden.
Tristan let go of Austin’s thigh to hook an arm around his waist. He thrust his hips up, cock rubbing through their clothes to nestle firmly between Austin’s cheeks.
I want him, chimed through Austin’s body like a bell.I want him, echoed his mind. Waking from its slumber, the power within Austin:I want him.
Austin had a fist in Tristan’s hair and his mouth against the merman’s ear, his lips parted.
Someone laughed outside the carriage. Far off. It reached Austin’s ears and registered only as something abstract. But it nudged him, enough, back into awareness.
Austin tore himself from Tristan.
He bit viciously down on his cheek and clamped his mouth shut. His power was buzzing on his tongue, tingling all the way down his throat to his heart.
Tristan snapped to full alertness. “What’s wrong?”
Austin pointedly looked away and said nothing.
When he didn’t answer, Tristan studied him anew, alarm giving way to thoughtfulness. Finally, his head canted to the side, exposing his throat in that docile manner, but as always, he undercut the gesture by refusing to lower his eyes.
“Shall we go in?” Tristan asked, not a hint of hurt or confusion at the sudden rejection.
Austin nodded.
Chapter Sixteen
Justice Hall was lit by glowing blue stones set into decorative sconces along the walls. A large hall was filled with an army of workers crowded around large desks, all of whom were meeting with people. A scant half dozen guards protected the entire space. Austin recognised most of them from their coming and goings at Tristan’s estate. Tristan inclined his head towards one of them. “I’ll be a moment.”
Eli took on the quality of glue, sticking to Austin’s arm as if he meant to become part of it. “The admin workers here sort through walk-ins and then assign them to the right division. All those small doors are offices where matters can be handled privately, and through those doors, bigger cases are held.” Eli nodded straight ahead. “Prince Hal usually presides over at least one case a day, to keep an eye on things. Some petition directly for him to oversee them.”
“Why?” Austin asked. “Is he lenient?”
Eli hesitated. “Sometimes.” His tone said it was complicated.
An admin worker strode by, flanked by an unfamiliar guard. Eli crept even closer to Austin’s arm as the two women caught sight of him. The admin worker slowed, but the guard’s gaze slid over Austin and she nudged her to keep going.
Austin waited until they passed. “You were tried for something here?”
He peered at Eli, whose tanned skin had taken on an ashen quality. The fingers feathering against Austin’s wrist were ice cold. Despite his fear, Eli met his eyes before he nodded.
“I wasn’t convicted,” Eli said. “The thing I was being tried for isn’t actually against the law. But Prince Hal put it down on record anyway, so everyone could see the accusation. He deemed it fair that even though I had broken no law, people should know what I had been accused of.”
Austin considered what crime would make him snatch his arm from Eli’s fearful grip. “Did you kidnap someone?”
“No.”
“Steal a child?”
“I think that would fall under kidnapping.”
“Poison someone?”
“No!”
“Stab them with needles?”
Eli’s voice sharpened. “It was betrayal. If you insist on the details, then just ask any of the admin workers here. Everyone makes a point of remembering Prince Hal’s rulings.”
Austin covered the tightening grip on his wrist with what he hoped was a reassuring touch. He didn’t ask if the ruling was true. He got the impression from Eli’s demeanour that it was. “You requested Prince Hal because you knew you hadn’t technically broken the law, but he punished you anyway?”
