When Worlds Collide (MxM)✔

Chapter 14 - Blood and Sweat

"Ew. They moved the envoy here." One of the women covered her nose in disgust.

Kade had come out of his room and ran into the consorts. In total, there were seven, all dressed in lavish clothes with expensive stones and precious metals weighing their hair down.

"Why would they make an envoy stay in the Consort Hall?" Another asked.

"His majesty must have thought his exotic looks were amusing."

"He has a mark. Someone else already claimed him."

"I heard he ate meat at the party last night?"

"He did! I saw it."

Kade ignored the women as they talked among themselves, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him from leaving. He was forced to turn around and meet the gaze of a copper-skinned consort, with white swirled markings and bright purple eyes. Her hair was black and tied into one large floating braid.

"What are you-?" Before he could get the words out, she started running her fingers through his hair.

"It falls on its own!"

Kade pulled away. "Excuse me! I'd rather you didn't-"

Two more consorts pulled up beside him to do likewise.

He had put on his old outfit from the Terran Kingdom since his earth clothes now smelled like the buffet table, so the women had full access to his unmarred body. One grabbed his arm tightly and ran a hand along his skin, while the other played with his hair.

"Hey!"

His protests went ignored as another consort grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. "His eyes are a strange color too."

"You're funny-looking, you know that?" The first woman remarked.

Kade regretted leaving his room because now he was surrounded by curious yet scornful carnivores.

"If he eats meat then he's a carnivore, right?"

"But he's from the other kingdom. So he's just as bad as them."

None of them were interested in talking to Kade directly, and he stood there, being all but fondled by a group of strong women until a servant cleared his throat.

"I am to escort you to the lab." The servant, a Terran with yellow stripes, tanned skin, and short blond hair, gestured for him to follow.

Grateful to be out of the rude consorts' clutches, he rushed after the man and tried to strike up a conversation, but was met with silence.

The 'lab' he was taken to didn't have much. If anything, it looked like an old kitchen, with wood beams in the ceiling, a central fireplace for heat, and counters for cooking.

"Where is the equipment?"

The Terran gave him a few sheets of paper and a quill pen. "You need to order it."

Sighing, Kade listed out everything he would need for the train. Then he sketched out brand new blueprints to present to Nyx.

Unlike with Toca, he was free to move around the castle here and did so quite often. It took longer for the metal smiths to create what he ordered since they were not as specialized as the ones back in the capital. Also, Aino's glass mixing technique had not been adopted here, so getting anything made was a long and expensive process.

When he next saw Nyx, the man was walking through the main halls, appreciating some portraits with three of his consorts. They gave Kade their usual snooty attitude.