Page 37 of Thief of Hearts

“So their delicate sensitivities won’t be offended? It’s just bodies. Everybody has one.”

“Yes, but some are much better than others.” His gaze was on me, and when I turned to look at him, his eyes snapped back up to my face. “Nudity is the great equalizer. No one can tell if you’re poor or wealthy.”

“Put your clothes back on!” one of the competitors yelled at me. “No one wants to see that! You should be ashamed!”

“I’m not,” I told Zain.

“Nor should you be.”

It was different this time when he looked at me, and I found myself responding to the blatant lust in his eyes. He liked what he saw. But at least he had the decency to try and avert his gaze. None of the other men did.

I had to look away from him. I wouldn’t allow myself to be distracted by the sheer perfection of his body.

Which was even better than I’d imagined.

“Do you think I’ll get disqualified?” I asked him. If I was going to be thrown out, I didn’t want to bother racing.

“For what?”

“My . . .” I looked around to make certain that no one could overhear us. “My power.”

“We are all using our gods-given talents. Is it fair that some people are faster and stronger than others? They’re celebrated for it. It doesn’t disqualify them from these events—why would it disqualify you?”

It was like he always knew the right thing to say.

There was a commotion off to the left and I saw the Epirian pointing at me. I couldn’t hear what he was saying but I assumed it wasn’t kind.

“I really hate Epirians,” I muttered.

“Not that I think you should poke the bear . . .”

“But if I wanted to poke the bear?”

“If you wanted to, the absolute worst thing you can say to an Epirian is ‘good luck.’ You’d be insulting his capability and skills and saying that the only way he can succeed is through random chance.”

“Levern!” I called out.

He stopped talking long enough to glare at me.

“Good luck!”

Zain was like some kind of cultural ambassador, even though he had secured that knowledge solely for nefarious reasons. He had been right.

Because I had never seen a person look so angry. Levern clenched his fists and his face turned a bright red. I couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction.

Maybe I should wish the Epirian good luck every time I saw him.

The announcer called out that the judges had arrived. There was a line of servants carrying men on litters.

“Why don’t they just walk to their table?” I asked.

“They’re showing us that they can afford not to.”

“But they’re judges for an athletic event.”

“Don’t try to understand the Sagari,” he said. “That way lies madness.”

The crowd cheered as the judges descended from their litters and took their places at the judging table.