by Megan Derr
Stupid. He only had today and tomorrow left, and he had squandered today sulking and feeling sorry for himself. Lana was probably feeling awful.
Elton flat-out refused to wonder if Baxter and Lucid had missed him. Paper crinkled in his pocket as he pulled out the schedule they had left him, smiling faintly. Baxter looked to have spent most of his day in hearings. He was the one who had focused on law throughout his schooling alongside all the business courses they had both taken. Someone had told him the twins' father was also a talented IG lawyer.
Of the two, Baxter was the better in matters of law and government, similar matters. It was he who largely handled contracts, negotiations, and other such things with other planets in the IG. When they were required to pay special attention to particular guests, it was Baxter who handled the ambassadors and other government officials.
Lucid had focused on entertainment and the arts; he handled the museums, the shows, and Elton had seen evidence that he dabbled in architecture as well, a sort of hobby. So far as special guests went, he handled the actors, the spoiled royals, flashy nobles, and other good-time visitors.
Baxter was better at numbers. Lucid was better at languages. It was Baxter who most often chose their clothing, but Lucid who chose the accessories. Baxter preferred spicy foods, Lucid sweeter. They could sing remarkably well and dance even better.
When they actually had time to relax, Baxter liked to read and Lucid liked simply to sit and listen to music. Unless, of course, they spent their free time in bed which they often did. Baxter liked to suck and would do pretty much anything Lucid told him, and he loved when Lucid watched. Lucid loved to watch Baxter and was game for anything. It had been Lucid who had first kissed and touched his twin and crossed the line for both of them.
Three days after meeting them, Elton still could not comprehend how no one could tell them apart.
On the other hand, he thought with reluctantly fond amusement, he had seen them trick people on half a dozen occasions already. As different as they were, they could obviously imitate one another sufficiently to fool… well, it really did seem as if they fooled everyone except Elton.
He sighed, hating his confusion, but mostly hating that he was so weak, so addicted to them already. Everything had been easier when all he had cared about was his family and his jewels. Then again, caring for his family had seemed only to end in destroying nearly all of it.
The sound of footsteps drew him from his thoughts, and Elton looked up to see Cadence. "Yes?"
"Their lordships request your presence at a meeting as the meeting cannot begin without you."
A meeting? He had not recalled anything like that on the list. His gut clenched. Was this it, then? Was it finally time for him to wake up? But Elton only stood and said, "All right." He winced as his legs flared with pain, protesting at being used again after being overworked.
Cadence looked at him, frowning slightly, but said nothing. Instead, he only turned and led the way to the nearest transport, keying in the special code that would take them directly to the private floors of Black Dragon Tower.
Inside Black Dragon, Cadence led him to the door of what Elton knew was a conference room, then departed with a half-bow.
Feeling sick with anxiety, Elton stepped closer to the door which immediately slid open to admit him. As he stepped inside the conference room, he did not know where to let his eyes rest first and simply hovered near the door, intimidated.
Sitting in one of the two chairs placed in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows was a man who could only be the father of Baxter and Lucid. If not for the obvious age difference, he could have been a triplet. The twins would obviously only grow more impressive with age, to judge by their beautiful, striking father.
Beside him in the other chair, dressed in the sharp, deep blue uniform of the Infinitum Government, was a broad-shouldered man with pale skin and hair, and the sharpest blue eyes Elton had ever seen. But he also had a kind smile, and Elton remembered it even better than he remembered the eyes. "Lower Chancellor Kavalerov," he finally greeted. "I did not think I would ever see you again."
Kavalerov laughed. "Most hope never to see me twice if they cannot avoid seeing me once." He winked. "You seem to be doing much better than Kreska."
Elton flushed and looked at the twins—and drew up short at how much anxiety was actually showing in their posture, in their smiles. That was not like them. Come to that, they had not greeted him, nor made any more toward him.
Oh, stars. It really was over. They must have been granted access to his sealed file or something and no longer wanted him.
It hurt even more than he had thought it would.
Turning away from Baxter and Lucid, he ignored Kavalerov's comment and simply asked, "What's wrong?"
Kavalerov and the twins' father looked surprised.
"Nothing is wrong," Kavalerov said. "Tresnor and I have been smoothing out the last details to make certain not a one was missed."
Tresnor smiled, and it was so easy to see where the twins had gotten their mischief and charm, just in that one smile. "I see my sons have not mentioned to you what they have been dong. The paperwork is complete, minus your signature. We will leave the three of you to discuss it in private. Pyotr, let us go find a late dinner. Baxter, Lucid. Elton, it was nice to finally meet you for myself, if only briefly. We will have to schedule a longer meeting at a later date."
Then they were gone, leaving Elton alone with Baxter and Lucid. Silence fell, awkward, awful. Elton hated it.
"Pretty, are you that unhappy—"
"So is it finally over—"
They all stopped, startled back into silence.
Then Baxter strode across the room and snatched Elton close, bending to take Elton's mouth in a bruising kiss. "Pretty," he breathed against Elton's mouth. "Don't leave us."
"I—" But before Elton could say anything, Lucid was taking his own kiss, and it was several minutes before Elton was permitted enough air to speak. "You're not getting rid of me?"
"No, pretty," Baxter said, restlessly raking a hand through his hair. "Why is it I can argue my way through Trellamoran law with ease or convince a Kreskan to join the military, but I cannot get it through your lovely head that we want to keep you. Forever."
Elton opened his mouth then closed it again. Finally he said, "Nothing like you ever actually happens to someone like me."
"Pretty…" Lucid said softly and embraced him. "You have it the wrong way around. You're the dream too good to be true. People who have known us our entire lives don't know any of the things you've learned in just three days. No one else we've tried to get close to has accepted us so readily, so easily. Try as we might, though, we cannot seem to convince you to stay."
"We've finally finished our grand plan, though," Baxter said, actually sounding nervous, which was too strange for Elton to comprehend. Baxter held out a simple black folder, the screen dark.
Touching the screen to activate the folder, Elton read through the contents with ever-increasing shock. "This—this—" His eyes stung. "This is a rescinding order of the papers I signed voluntarily banning myself from ever having anything to do with gems and jewelry again. It's a reinstatement of my professional standing. But—they said—I'm not supposed to do this—my reputation was left in tatters, I can't do it anymore."
Baxter snorted softly. "It was a very sloppy investigation, pretty, and Pyotr has had insiders investigating the matter still further. The corruption runs deep—with you out of the way, it was free and clear to run deeper still. Pyotr was under the impression you'd chosen to leave the profession; he was not informed you had signed those papers until we brought it to his attention."
"In his words," Lucid continued, "You are an asset to your profession and a gem in your own right. You should not be punished for your father's crimes. Should you so desire, he has granted IG approval to appoint you to the position of Bangkok Jeweler Premier."
"What—that—" Elton barely realized he had dropped the
folder, which Baxter caught just in time and set aside on a table. "I—"
He could not speak. It was too much.
They looked at him anxiously. "Do you want it, pretty?"
"No—I mean—of course I do," Elton said. "But all I really want is you, even though it still feels like I shouldn't have you. Jeweler Premier—that's a powerful post, especially the Premier of Bangkok. I was only Jeweler Troisieme on Mars—"
Baxter cut him off with a snort. "Only because your father was Premier. You would have made Second easily, otherwise."
"Stay, pretty," Lucid said softly, pleadingly. "Stay and give us a chance. And even if you don't want us, stay and be our Jeweler Premier. No one could be better than you, and as Premier you can work on whatever you choose, even begin restoring the stolen and destroyed pieces as we reacquire the lost gems.”
Elton shook his head, unable to believe all that he was hearing, but completely incapable of telling these two men no. Maybe, just maybe, he had come to the right place to learn how to be happy again, after all. "Idiots," he finally said. "There are only two jewels in the stars I want, and they're right here in Bangkok."
Baxter and Lucid smiled, matching bright, happy, delighted smiles that echoed Elton's feelings exactly. "The Jewels of Bangkok belonged to you the moment you picked them out, pretty—all you had to do was accept them."
"Then I accept," Elton said, only just getting the words out before his Jewels were upon him.
About the Author
Megan grew up a military brat and traveled extensively with her family. She is now firmly settled in Ohio, with two roommates and their four cats. She has always been book obsessed, and writing obsessed since she first gave it a whirl in college. Romance and fantasy are her primary obsessions, but she’s game to write just about anything and enjoys a challenge. She is a sucker for stories of enemies becoming lovers. When not writing, Megan is drinking too much coffee, reading still more books, and harassing family and friends, or otherwise doing whatever possible to avoid editing.
