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Jorgen glanced to Magnus with a glint in his eyes that said he was about to have fun.
“Looks like this is about to get very interesting,” Magnus confirmed as much with a smile.
“Is that any way to welcome the King of the North Kingdom to this meeting?” Jorgen asked Sai, obviously feigning far more offense than he felt. “I thought I was invited particularly.” He paused, then pointed across to Sebald. “That one invited me.”
Poor Sebald looked as though he would sink into the ground. He must have still thought he’d done something wrong by inviting Jorgen to the meeting. As soon as I had a chance, I needed to take Sebald aside and assure him that Magnus thought having Jorgen there was a brilliant idea.
Magnus laughed and shook his head. “Jorgen, you should know better. It isn’t proper manners to upset your hosts when you’ve only just arrived.”
Sai’s people had opened up a space that Jorgen and his group stepped into, and Magnus peeled away from the prow of the boat, walking to the side, where a plank was being set in place for us to step off. Peter and I followed him.
I reached out and brushed Peter’s hand briefly. “Do you want me to hold your hand as we climb over to the dock?” I teased him.
“Fuck you forever,” Peter muttered, then grasped my hand when we were halfway across the gangplank and he nearly tripped.
“Watch it there, Peter,” Lefric said right behind us. “That’s how I ended up falling in the water in Good Port. I was lucky Olympus was there to pull my ass out.”
“You were lucky I was there to do other things with your ass too,” Olympus added as we stepped onto the dock, Ox and Katrina just behind us.
“You boys need to stop your yapping and act like the diplomatic embassy you are,” Katrina scolded us from behind.
“Yes, Katrina,” Peter said with overdone charm.
She made a rude gesture at him.
We were all forced to pay attention again as Magnus walked toward Sai. He and Jorgen had exchanged a few words while the rest of us had been distracted, but there was no distraction from the way Jorgen and Hati wedged their way over to where Magnus and Sai were about to meet, their two pups with them. Right there, right in front of Sai, Magnus and Jorgen embraced.
I noticed several of the more important-looking men around Sai gasp and look terrified at the meeting of the two wolf kings, even before Jorgen said, “Long time no see, old friend.”
“I’ve been too busy to visit.” Magnus took a step back, reaching for me and Peter and pulling us close. “My nubile husbands have kept me far too busy to go jaunting across the frontier to catch up with my friends.”
He’d done the same thing in Good Port, when we’d met Vikhrov Hakobyan. The point wasn’t to feel me and Peter up—though Magnus would never pass up an opportunity to do that. It was so that Magnus could get an immediate read on what the strangers he was faced with thought of men who loved other men. Frankly, it was the best tool I’d ever heard of for immediately assessing an opponent.
Reactions were varied. Sai didn’t bat an eyelash, of course, and a few of the men with him that I recognized from the coronation only blinked. Some of the others looked shocked, though, and a few narrowed their eyes. Perhaps most uncomfortable of all, the woman who had to be Jace’s mother frowned. So much for everyone in the cities letting go of their prejudices in the face of a stronger, more prosperous power.
Jorgen had laughed and said something else to Magnus, but I wasn’t paying attention until he asked, “Who’s your new friend?” He nodded to Olympus.
Magnus turned to make certain that was who Jorgen had gestured to, then said, “Allow me to introduce a new friend of mine.” He gestured to Olympus. “This is Olympus Hakobyan, son of Lord Vikhrov Hakobyan, ruler of Good Port and its surrounding territories.” He paused with a smirk, then added, “Beloved of Lefric.”
That was another deliberate signal to the Kostya contingent, I was certain. Magnus was telling them that the three other powers at the meeting not only didn’t care about men loving other men, they were actively engaged in the practice.
I sucked in my breath a little. Magnus was so good it astounded me sometimes. He hadn’t fully greeted Sai yet, and already he’d backed the Kostya Kingdom into a corner, potentially isolating them, and strengthening his own negotiating power.
Too bad awe wasn’t the only emotion I saw in the eyes of the city-dwellers. Fear was there too. Peter might have disagreed with me—and maybe Magnus would too—but fear was not the best place to start from when people needed to change.
“So, King Sai, we meet again.” At last, Magnus stopped setting all his pieces on the diplomatic board and turned to shake Sai’s hand.
“Magnus, it’s good to see you again,” Sai said, shaking Magnus’s hand with strength that I could see, even from where I stood. “You are welcome to my kingdom, my city, my home. I look forward to the meeting between the three of us these next few days.”
Sai was doing his best to keep up with Magnus—particularly when sent an anxious glance to Jorgen—but he knew he was on the back foot.
“The four of us, you mean,” Magnus said. He let go of me and Peter and motioned Olympus forward. “The Wolf River Kingdom, the Kostya Kingdom, this so-called North Kingdom,” he sent Jorgen a sly grin, “and the Kingdom of Good Port.”
“Is Good Port a kingdom now?” one of Sai’s men asked.
“It looks like it,” another of them answered.
“Whatever the case,” Sai said, still somehow managing to look gracious and casual, “you are all welcome. I am certain these next few days will be peaceful and fruitful ones.”
