Kings or Pawns (Steps of Power: The Kings Book I)

Chapter Seven

Jikun tossed his head, shifting slightly. His eyes opened into thin slits for a moment, confused as to why he would be awake so early after last night's escapades. It felt early, at least.

He lay there a moment, blearily, before he settled once more into his bed, closing his eyes with a grunt.

There was a sudden knock on the room door, causing him to jerk sharply. "General? Are you awake? I have a message from the king."

Damn Hairem. Jikun groaned in protest and opened his eyes.

There was a knock once again. "General?"

"Yes, I—" He cleared his throat as his voice cracked. "Yes, I am awake. Slip it under the door."

"Yes, General," the servant replied.

Jikun sat up slowly, drawing his legs up so that he could rest an arm across his knees. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand and tried to shake the grogginess from his head. Damn Sel'varian wines. Even after his welcoming in Darival, he had not awoken with such a heavy cloud over his mind.

"Why are you awake, My Lord?" came a sultry voice beside him. Jikun felt a slender hand slide up his inner thigh.

The rays of morning light shone through a crack in the chiffon curtains and came to rest on the exposed breasts of the woman lying beside him. He saw her smile as his eyes landed on her.

"Duty calls," Jikun replied with another groan as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, reluctantly pulling her hand aside. He pushed off his knees and sauntered to the folded slip of parchment lying just inside the door.

"What is it?" the woman asked as he unfolded the note, attempting a soft and alluring tone as she settled once more into the bed.

Jikun rolled his shoulders back, eyes flicking across the page. "The king summons me." And about time! He had arrived in Elvorium early the day before and had heard nothing from the king or council since. And here he had hurried his ass straight across the tundra with hardly a cautious glance either way for thakish. Not even Navon had been made aware of the reason for his prompt command to return to the capital.

He turned back toward the prostitute and inhaled sharply. She had thrown the covers aside and was lying with her legs spread, stroking her own inner thighs.

"Come here, General. Let me give you your money's worth," she purred and patted the bed beside her enticingly.

"Five minutes," Jikun warned.

*

"I will pretend I don't know what happened in there last night."

Jikun let the door to his room fall shut behind him, passing a silent smirk toward his captain.

"It is not humorous, General," Navon rebuked him sharply. "Need I remind you what Sel'vi do to whores and those who bed them?"

What a rhetorical nag. Jikun rolled his eyes in annoyance, raising his hand to signal the elf to fall silent. "She will be back on her ship, returning to Ryekarayn, in a week. With the way the council draws everything out gods know she'd have years here before anything ever happened to her." He heard Navon push off the wall and fall into step beside him. "Have you heard anything new about the content of the summons?"

Navon shook his head, blue eyes shifting toward the door with what Jikun perceived as the faintest trace of lust. Amusing. He hadn't seen that look on the male in years. He supposed even Navon could not be above the desires of the body, despite his whoring tendency toward Sel'ari and her absurd tenants. "No," the Helven replied. "But the king's carriage is waiting for you outside. Taking that into consideration, the matter must be of some significance."