“At least he listens and does what he’s told like a Dette.” Ashwin snorted, and when Viraj didn’t even flinch, Gatlin’s one goal was to make sure Ashwin never made it back home.
As for how anyone could be so overtly daft, Gatlin had no clue, but Ashwin’s kind would be the last.
“What is it that Hallr demanded in exchange for nestblossom?” Gatlin sat back in his seat, waiting for Viraj to return. He’d have gone and gotten it himself, but he didn’t want Viraj to spend any time alone with Ashwin. At all.
Ashwin, suddenly guarded, gave Gatlin a long, withering look.
“I’m only offering to aid in your endeavor. I’m in a precarious situation as your son’s mate. He’s never been quite a Drake in our relationship…” Gatlin cleared his throat, glancing toward the door to make sure he had time to say things.
“He’s a Dette and therefore a disappointment to my plans. Our only council seat for a Drake in this land and he’s no longer—”
“But Teige and I are on the council, not representatives of our clan but permitted to vote. We hold Viraj’s vote on the Dette council.” Gatlin stared Ashwin down and earned a flick of a brow—interest.
“Maybe not all is lost. But how can I trust you—what with your stance on giving Dettes power?” Ashwin drummed his fingers.
“Why wouldn’t I want to procure power through my Dette? Why wouldn’t I want to show off my wealth? I don’tneeda dowry or anything when I can breed votes, now do I?”
Ashwin nodded slowly. “I see.”
“Fine. The Nielsen Drake wants me to take seeds for my gardens, guarantee that Dettes in need will get their share at no cost, and open distribution channels where he gets a commission. I’m the bloody original owner of nestblosoms! I killed so many dragons and held my own for generations due to those flowers, and here he is with a single seed stealing it away from me in a petty few decades!”
“What would you like to happen?” Gatlin waited patiently as Viraj’s steps plodded from down the hall.
“The entire clan to die out and every seed and petal end up in my control where it rightfully belongs.” Ashwin’s eyes gleamed before dimming back down, a vicious flicker of his dragon beneath the surface of his skin.
“That’s not happening,” Gatlin said, a huff caught in his throat. “Nielsens don’t die.”
Ashwin huffed as if he could prove him wrong. “But, barring that, I will take seeds and start the flower back at my estate, and he’ll mind his own fucking business.”
That wasn’t going to happen, either.
“So, not to be rude, but what are you waiting for, specifically?” Gatlin caught Viraj’s footsteps halting, dropping eaves, logically.
“An opportunity to present itself.” Ashwin licked his lips, and Viraj walked to the door a moment later, eyes aflame with warning. And he had Gatlin’s laptop.
“Thank you, dear. I’ve got some investments to move around.” Gatlin stood and crossed the room to give his mate a sweet kiss. “Go rest. You look exhausted.”
And Viraj gladly took the opportunity, hand pressed to his back as he shuffled off, belly leading the way.
“Let them believe they’re spoiled, and they are the finest Dettes in the world, Vritra.” Ashwin snorted and Gatlin kept his fucking mouth shut.
Chapter Twenty
Teige
A sharp cry woke Teige in the dead of night, a foot lashing out to crash into his side.
“Fack! M’wake!” Teige flailed about and patted through their blankets before catching a sharp scent of something metallic and meaty that drew him to full rousal. “Vivi?”
Viraj sat up in their bed in an odd sort of one-legged kneel, reminiscent of a yoga pose, one hand gripped fiercely to his side as he panted through what must have been horrible pain, tears streaming his cheeks.
“Gat! Wake the fuck up, toll-tòine!” Their meaty lug of a mate rolled over with a groan, hazel eyes flashing awake like amber and emeralds.
“Vivi?” Teige scooted across their custom mattress, skin gliding over silken sheets that clung damply to his legs, rapidly cooling as Viraj trembled in place. “Is it—”
“No, I just pissed myself! What do you fucking think?” Viraj doubled over with a snarl of pain, and Teige took the moment to slip from their bed. “I didn’t want to do this here!”
Teige and Gatlin locked eyes for a fierce glare at one another.
