"Why?" I said, still considering how I was going climb up balconies.
"In the first place, your girlfriend seems to be working with Bayard's public relations aide," Johar said. "So we won't know which room she's in until she's dismissed."
"And in the second place," Kader said, cutting her off, "the word downstairs is that you're here to fuck up the summit. If that becomes the narrative, you're the one who's fucked, understand?"
I nodded. "So what do I need to do?"
"Martin'll keep an eye on Theo and give you the signal when she returns to her room. Until then, go be your usual charming self."
Theo
I stood in the bathroom for nearly half an hour, staring into my own wide eyes.
Galian was there. Galian was in this hotel, perhaps on a floor above or below me. Galian, the man I'd been dreaming of, the man that I'd been aching for, was now close enough to touch. It would be impossible for me to speak to him in plain view; it wasn't as if I could simply walk up to him and strike up a conversation. A public relations nightmare.
I couldn't touch him. I couldn't even act like I knew him. He was just an idiot. A stranger. My mortal enemy.
My soulmate.
I splashed water on my face and left the bathroom. With the appearance of the third prince of Kylae, Emilie's demands for a private meeting space grew loud enough to hear from across the lobby. The hotel staff, eager to prevent the Madion War from erupting next to the front desk, provided her a room on the first floor. The ten of us, plus Cannon, were crowded around a small bed.
Emilie was leading a discussion on which Herinese minister to press about what topic, so I took the opportunity to slip out through the sliding glass door that faced one of the pools in the hotel and sat in a chair. The courtyard was open to the blue sky above, and the air was warm and sticky thanks to the glittering pool in its center.
Facing away from the Ravens, I bit my lip with a smile on my face. I couldn't help it; as dangerous and risky as it was for either of us to be seen together, I was giddy with excitement to see him again.
I didn't have time to dwell on Galian, because the door behind me opened and Emilie joined me on the patio. Wasting no time, she said, "I want to hear your speech."
A speech? Oh, right, I was supposed to be remembering a ten-minute diatribe against Galian's country. How did it begin again? "P-president Jervan..." My eyes widened, and no more sounds came from my mouth.
My amichai had entered the pool area, bare-chested and pale, with a charming and sexy grin on his face. On his arm were two Jervanian girls, both flustered with red faces. There was a second, younger man, who I believed was the guard Galian lived with in Kylae. He carried an armful of drinks. The four of them took lounge chairs and Galian's guard passed the drinks out. The girls paid him little attention, more focused on the handsome prince who'd decided to flirt with them.
"Theo," Emilie said, snapping her fingers in front of me. "I don't know what the princeling is playing at, but we won't let him distract us. Your speech, please."
She handed me a copy of the words I was supposed to be saying. They made no sense, and I couldn't concentrate. Not with my amichai mere feet from me, and hanging on other women.
He sat between the girls and they cozied up under his arm the way I used to. I knew it had to be a farce, but jealousy roared inside me as I watched them paw my amichai.
Fat chance, girls, that man is mine tonight.
"Theo," Emilie said. "Theo, you need to focus."
"I'm sorry," I murmured. "I can't concentrate. I'm too...nervous." I hoped I looked nervous and not murderous. It would've helped if I'd been better at concealing my emotions, but even then, I wouldn't have stood a chance with him so close.
"I understand that," Emilie said, sitting back. "But this is important. This is your chance to speak in front of the world and tell your story. To make a difference. Remember?"
I nodded, arguing with the part of my brain that wanted to run across the courtyard. I had wished for him to come to me, but now, realistically, his timing couldn't have been worse. I had a speech to give, one which I continued to stumble through. And he'd probably come to my room, we'd make love all night long and...I kept the lovesick smile off of my face before it appeared. That was precisely why him being in Jervan was a terrible idea.
Across the pool, his gaze locked with mine. Then, to my horror, he blew a kiss my way.
"That son of a bitch," Emilie growled, standing up. "Disgusting pig. Foul creature. Let's go inside."
"Horrible," I said lightly, following her inside and sneaking a look back at Galian. I hoped he saw the smile on my face.
My focus was effectively shot, as I attempted to deliver my speech five more times and couldn't even get the opening remarks right. I just kept envisioning Galian's bare chest, his handsome smile, and then my mind began to spin wildly sexual fantasies of us meeting in my room later. Eventually, Emilie threw her hands up in disgust.
"I can tell that you're tired from the trip," she said. "Go to your room and get some rest and please be ready tomorrow."
Wesson walked into the room at that moment, interrupting us. "Emilie, the Herin delegates have invited us out to dinner tonight. They especially want to meet her."
"I...uh..." I swallowed hard. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea tonight."
Emilie's head swiveled around. "'neechai, your speech is just one part of your campaign. If you want to change people's minds, you'll have to talk to them. Get to know them. Show them that you're human."
"Perhaps she's right," Cannon said, lounging on the chair behind me. "Kallistrate is wooden at best, and at her worst...you might as well send the princeling instead. He might do a better job."
I would remember to thank Cannon later. "Emilie, this speech... I want to practice it more before tomorrow. As you said, I only have one chance. I'd be better off if I just...spent all night practicing it."
"Fine, fine," Emilie said. "But I want you down here first thing in the morning to give the speech in its entirety."
I nodded and walked as casually as I could out of the room, then, once the door was closed, ran for the elevator.
Galian
I'd found two willing participants at the now-deserted bar, and they'd been eager to fawn over me. I felt kind of bad for leading them on, but maybe once I made my exit, Martin could entertain them. He seemed up for the task.
I'd been at the bar when I saw her appear near the pool, and, although I knew it was a little risky, I wanted to be out there. I had no idea what she was thinking, but I hoped she knew that I would be there soon.
I'd convinced the girls to go to the pool, but by the time we'd gotten there, Theo had been joined by the pretty Raven woman who had been screaming in the lobby earlier. By her posture and Theo's submission to her, she must've been the aide Kader was talking about. The woman had noticed me staring, so I'd done the only thing I could—act like an ass and blow her a kiss.
Still, the look of shock and amusement on Theo's face was worth the fury on the other woman's as she pulled Theo back inside the room.
But I had to be careful. This was about drawing attention to myself, and not Theo. I didn't know what they'd do to her if they found out about our relationship, and I was damned if I'd mess anything up for her.
"Oh, quit antagonizing our colonists," Martin said, his arm slung over the shoulders of the girls as Theo and the other woman went back into the room.
"Stop," the girl on the left said, swatting him on his stomach. "Rave should be left alone. Galian, why does your father keep bombing them?"
"Who cares?" I said, hating myself. I could barely see into the room Theo'd disappeared into, but I saw Kader appear around the side of the pool. That was my cue. "Martin, I'm going to get a beer. Keep the girls warm for me, will ya?"
"Yes, sire."
I snorted at Martin's overt bow, and hurried over to Kader. He handed me a shirt and we walked through small walkway to the back of the hotel where Johar wa
s waiting for us. She wore a black tactical suit that left me feeling woefully underprepared in my shorts and t-shirt.
"The rest of the Ravens are in their meeting room, so now's the best chance to get to her room," Kader said.
I glanced upward, my vision swimming. "And you don't think anyone will notice a guy climbing up balconies?"
"Getting cold feet?" Johar asked.
"N-no," I said, shaking my head. "Just...if I splatter on the ground, know it was in pursuit of love."
I followed Johar around to the back of the hotel and could see why she was unconcerned about being spotted. A river cut the ground mere steps away, presumably flowing down to the inlet at the bottom of the city. On the other side was a park shaded pink by the setting sun.
"Let's go," Johar said, pulling herself up onto the first balcony. She had a good five inches on me, so I had to jump and pull myself up, wishing I'd spent a bit less time at the hospital and more time doing pull-ups. By the time I'd scrambled over the first railing, she was already hanging from the one above.
"Slow down!" I hissed to her.
"Hurry up, Jem."
I scowled; so now I was Jem to everybody.
My hands, arms, and shoulders ached by the time we reached the fifth floor. Johar tossed me a small tool.
"Use it on the doors," she said, walking toward the glass of the guest room.
I stood, watching her for a moment, and she glanced at me over her shoulder. "Well, get going."
"Aren't you searching the rooms with me?" I asked.
"Nope." She clicked her own tool into the lock and carefully slid the door open.
"But what if this is Theo's room?"
"It's not. Trust me."
Not wanting to know which Raven room Johar was breaking into, or why she was so sure it wasn't Theo's, I lifted myself onto the railing between this balcony and the next and slid over. With one more glance at Johar and the mystery room, I stuck the small tool into the lock on the glass door and heard it click. I slid the door open and walked insidee.
There was nothing to mark it as occupied except for one black bag in the center that hadn't been unpacked. Conscious of what Kader had said about making sure no one knew I'd been there, I unzipped the bag and carefully pawed through it. Men's underwear—definitely not Theo's room.
I zipped the bag back up and made sure nothing else was amiss before returning to the balcony. As I exited, Johar was out of the room, a disgruntled look on her face. She saw me on the other balcony and saluted me before climbing over the edge.
So I was on my own now. Perfect.
I climbed over the balcony to the next room. This one had several bags on the ground, dresses in the closet, and the person had already unpacked hair brushes, makeup, and jewelry.
Definitely not Theo.
I was turning to leave when I heard a key slide into the door. Panicking, I dove outside onto the balcony and closed the door, praying no one had heard me or could see me. The thick blinds that kept the light out of the room were mostly closed behind me, but I could still hear the conversation inside the room.
"...just don't know about her. She's got some kind of mental block." That sounded like the woman who'd been screaming before.
"I could deliver my speech, you know." A man.
The woman sighed. "Yes, Mark. But Theo deserves a chance to try."
"She's been trying, and she's been failing miserably. She's going to embarrass the country tomorrow."
I glared at the other end of the balcony.
"You know I won't let that happen. If Theo can't give her speech tomorrow, you're up. Now get to your room and get dressed. And please don't embarrass us on this trip. The last thing we need is another sex scandal from you."
I heard the door close behind him and glanced into the room. The woman sat at the desk and was applying makeup. I slid to the other side of the balcony and hopped the railing, making sure to listen carefully before picking the lock on the next balcony.
TEN
Theo
The elevator doors opened, and I walked out onto the ornate carpeted floor, feeling both exhilarated and exhausted.
I'd accepted the fact that he wanted to see me, but how was he to know where I was? There were hundreds of rooms in this hotel. Would he be stupid and just knock on every one? What if he happened upon Cannon's room? Or Emilie's? Emilie would probably call hotel security, but Cannon might hurt him. I approached my door and held my breath as I unlocked it.
It was empty of everything except the black bag I'd hastily thrown on the bed before returning downstairs.
"G—Anyone in here?" I called, looking around. I opened my closet and checked the small bathroom. He wasn't there.
A cloud of disappointment settled over of me. Perhaps I'd been wrong. Maybe I'd just wanted to see the love so badly I'd imagined it. Or perhaps it was just a coincidence that he'd shown up in this hotel.
A knock on my door jarred me from my thoughts. Heart pounding, I slowly approached the door, praying with all my heart that Galian wasn't on the other side—and at the same time, praying that he was. I took a deep breath and unlocked the door.
And came face-to-face with Emilie.
"Hi," I said, my heart still pounding.
"I just wanted to check on you," she said, inviting herself into the room. "Are you worried that the princeling is here?"
I cleared my throat and shook my head, hoping I'd miraculously become a better actress in the next few seconds. "Why would it?"
"The Kylaens weren't even supposed to be here, and now..." She sighed and shook her head. "I doubt he's here for anything other than to get his dick wet."
I coughed into my hand to hide the mixture of amusement and horror.
"I'm leaving to meet with the Herinese delegation," she said. "Please be ready for tomorrow."
I nodded. "I will. I promise."
She didn't look all that confident, but she bid me farewell and a good night, and left me alone in my room. I turned and flung myself on the bed, a hurricane of worry and anticipation swirling through me. I began to hate my own mind; I should've been worried about making a speech to the international community, instead I was fretting about whether or not a boy was coming to visit me.
Not a boy, I reminded myself, My amichai.
I heard a small click on the glass door leading out to a balcony and I sat up, sure that I'd imagined it except that the drapes fluttered, and a shadow was visible on the other side. Before I could open my mouth to speak, the figure on the other side walked into the room.
It was him. All of him. Really standing there in the middle of my room. His hair, his body, his chest, his lips, his eyes, his...I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or not. Had I wanted him to appear so desperately that I'd hallucinated him?
"Hey." His voice reverberated through me. God, had he always sounded this sexy? I tried to keep my composure and remember that people who wanted him dead were mere walls away from us.
"H-hey..." Was that really all I could say?
He stalked toward me with a strange and hungry look on his face. Words failed me when he pulled me into his arms. I shakily reached up to touch his face, scarcely believing that he was really, truly there. My fingertips pressed into his soft, pale cheek, and the sensation washed over me. His skin, his body, he was really there.
"A-amichai," I whispered.
He took my hand and kissed it, and my relief welled to the surface. My lip trembled, and tears splashed down my face. I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, that this moment was stolen, that it wouldn't last, and soon I'd be back in Rave and he in Kylae. The world that had torn us apart would come crashing back in.
But in that moment, I was willing to endure the pain for this one moment of perfection.
Then his lips covered mine, and I lost whatever semblance of self-control I had left.
Galian
A sob escaped her lips as they moved against mine, and she pulled away, her cheeks wet and her face puffy. She began to spe
ak, but I couldn't understand between the sobs and the high-pitched whines. She buried her head in my chest and sobbed harder.
"You know, this wasn't how I pictured this happening," I said, resting my cheek on her forehead and rubbing her back. "I thought there'd be less crying and more ripping off clothes."
She snorted. "Good to know your jokes haven't improved."
I laughed, holding her closer, suddenly overcome with a tightness in my chest. I'd missed Theo, but to hear her voice, to know she found me ridiculous even after all this time, struck a chord in me.
She sniffed hard and looked up at me, a smile finally gracing her beautiful lips. "I can't believe you're really here. You have no idea how much I needed you, amichai."
I didn't know if the word had some magical property or if knowing the intent behind it gave it power, but a chill ran down my spine. I kissed her again, this time opening her mouth with my tongue and tasting her. She moaned and grasped my shirt.
"You taste the same," she whispered against my lips.
"Do I? I've brushed my teeth a few more times..."
"Goddamn, I missed your lame jokes," she said with a giggle. Pulling back, she stared at me like I was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen, and a light flickered in her eyes. And just like that, she was my Theo—the girl who'd kept me sane and alive for two months, the one I'd fallen head over heels for despite all rational thought or the consequences.
She rested her hands on my chest and kissed the corner of my mouth, my chin, my neck, and a fire began to grow. It had been four long months since I'd touched her, and I was eager to make up for lost time. I slipped my hands underneath her rear and picked her up, loving the sound of her giggling as I carried her to the bed.
She grinned at me when we plopped down, brushing a stray hair off my face. "You didn't come all the way to Lakner just to get in my pants, did you?"
"What can I say, it's a perk," I replied, gazing at her body. I could tell she'd been eating better. Even the first day on the island, she'd been too thin, but as I reacquainted myself with the shape of her body, I noticed the change.
The Complete Madion War Trilogy Page 30
