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“I know I am. What do you want?” I pick up two glasses from the bar cart near the window and place them on the table.
“Two things. I need you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“I already know that.”
“You need to get mated.”
I stretch my neck, rolling it around. “I’m not going to get mated to one of the mermaids Mother is trotting around for me. I like my life the way it is. I’m living in late Uncle Titus’s bachelor dome. Why not play the part?” Which isn’t exactly true, but right now I have a reputation to maintain. One that allows me to do things others can’t.
“Apparently, having three unmated older brothers is causing our lovely sister some issues in starting her own pod. I thought Mother was being dramatic. But it’s true.”
“Get Kaemon to do it.”
He shakes his head. “He’s got something of his own going on.”
I shrug. “There’s not a mermaid out there that is going to want me.”
“Nico Callis’s mate?”
“His mate’s last name is Portsmouth.” I turn away from him, clicking on the outside lights.
I’ve got one of those old school reefs outside my mini dome. This place was my great uncle’s. He never mated. The scoundrel had several pods he hung with, but none that he ever settled on. He selected me to inherit it.The two of us are alike, he said.One flavor is something we could never settle upon.Which would have been fine if he’d said it to me privately instead of recording it so my mother, grandmother, and sister could all turn and look at me in disgust. Uncle Titus was someone you wanted at your dinner party or ball but not someone you wanted yourself compared to.
But fuck it. I liked the old flounder. He had balls. No one stands up to my grandmother—his sister—and he did it on a regular basis. If there’s one thing I plan on continuing doing, it’s that.
“Right, well, this is about her.” Michio sinks into my sofa. “Damn, this is comfortable. Titus had great taste.”
My brows arch. I don’t exactly have time for family favors right now. Not with the governors pulling me around. But if it’s about Annabelle, I might be able to be persuaded.
“She’s the second thing?” I take a large drink, and Michio’s eyes bulge. What he doesn’t know is its water. I’ve got to keep up appearances.
“I thought that might pique your interest.” He flops a paper envelope on the table.
“What’s that?” It’s fucking paper, an envelope exactly like I get from the governors’ security attaché. Something my brother isn’t a part of.
“You think I’m letting them use you with knowing about it? I’m the governor of Zaffiro, not a dishwasher.”
My dear brother is one of the youngest governors on the council. And the old fish farts don’t tend to play fair even when the dome is one of the original four. Each male has to earn his way into the fray. “Impressive.”
“I’m hurt that you thought anything less of me, dear brother.” Michio’s unmated and governor. Something he’s done strategically. He’s young enough that the next time the mantle of king comes back to Zaffiro, he’ll still be in the running for it. It’s bait to lure a mermaid to become a Zaffiro and be a queen one day, rule all of the Veiled City with him. It’s working too. The number of unmated mermaids perusing the shops near our domes has risen. Not that I mind. But lately, I seem to only be thinking of one.
I slide into the chair beside the couch and pick up the envelope. Michio’s eyes widen.
Michio might have intercepted the envelope from the courier, but he has no idea what’s in it. He’s just guessing. I tuck it inside my vest.
“Open it.”
“I’ll do it later. How’s Mother?”
“Mother is great. Open the damn envelope.”
“I will. Can I get you a drink?”
“It’s not even ten a.m.”
