Wild Magic Two: The Dark of the Sun- a M/M shifter fantasy romance

12- One More Rejection

*****I do enjoy my angst, don't I? ;) Enjoy :)*****

CAIN—

The next day, Riece... No, the Emperor dragged me to a picnic in the southern apple orchard. It was one of my favorite places, because with just an hour spent among the trees, the sweet smell of the apples would linger on my skin for days. The Emperor had initially told me he needed a guard, because his own were ill— I smelled a lie, especially since I had seen three of them that morning for our training, but like I had with him frequently lately, I indulged him and didn't point it out. He also told me that we would soon be joined by Edon and Lhiam.

That also proved to be a lie.

My begrudging enjoyment of the day surprised me. The Emperor was as lewd, as inappropriate, as handsy as ever. But I had begun to accept that it was just the way he was, and as long as I could endure the teasing without breaking and giving in, which I had now for months, I figured I could indulge him.

In between jokes about my size, how limber he was, and wondering if Akaran pricks were a strange color and as large as were rumored — gods help me — we actually managed to have a decent conversation.

Well, he conversed. I listened. I didn't speak much, but I learned more than I had in the last five months combined.

He was an only child. His mother died while giving birth to him, and his father, the previous Emperor, had been emotionally distant and cold.

"Now that I think on it, you remind me a bit of him," he laughed, but he couldn't hide the underlying truth in his words.

"I never wanted for anything, of course," he mumbled, plucking at the bit of bread he was tearing apart on his lap. Over and over, he picked the pieces up, ripped them in half, then half again, before letting the crumbs fall on his lap. I hadn't seen him put even a single bite to his mouth. "I had all the best tutors, nursemaids, masters who taught me fencing, various languages, history, even bits of magic— all of them were too afraid to tell my father I had absolutely no talent in the magical arts or scholarly pursuits." He laughed, shaking his head with a bemused sort of smile. "In short, I have no reason to complain about my upbringing. It was perfect. I was very lucky." 

I scoffed and raised an eyebrow, drawing the Emperor's attention and questioning gaze.

"But?" I asked, taking a sip of the wine Chef had packed for our picnic. Gods, even the keep's servants were being dragged into the Emperor's ridiculous seduction.

The Emperor's smile was almost serene, but I could see he was holding back as he shook his head, his golden red curls bouncing around his face. The curly locks were pulled back in their customary braid, but some tendrils always tended to break free to frame his face. When he stood in the sunlight, and the light hit him just right, the way his hair flowed around him looked like a halo.

"I don't know what you mean," he tittered, reaching over to pull my hand to rest on his thigh, as if it belonged there. As if that was how we always sat next to each other. I gave him a moment before pulling away, trying to soften my rejections. I had been harsh with him for weeks, and it had done nothing to deter him, so I figured there was no reason to be cruel. He was going to do what he wanted, and I was just along for the ride at that point.

I hated that damn look in his eyes when I refused him harshly. It haunted my dreams, turning the nights that I had begun to spend dreaming of his lips, his skin, his hands on me, into nightmares where he cried himself to sleep night after night.

"You do," I answered simply, and met his eyes until he looked away with a huff and a self-deprecating smile.

"It's nothing. I will sound like a spoiled child to someone with your childhood, your upbringing. And I'm trying to get you to like me."