Clan and Crown by Tracy St. John Read Free Book Online

it
for the quiet as well as comfort. It helped that it was run by
Joshadans, who were a fair-minded and quiet species
themselves.
    Clajak looked at the three-story molded
stone structure before him with its balconies and graceful arches.
Egilka saw that the Dramok had barely broken a sweat from his run
despite the humidity. Egilka self-consciously pulled on his
perspiration-dampened collar.
    Clajak grinned at him. “Well, that was
a fun excursion.”
    Egilka tried not to be moody and
failed. “Sure, if you think nearly being captured and enslaved by a
Bi’isil is fun. Come on, my prince.”
    He headed for the inn’s entrance.
Clajak fell in step beside him. They came into the grand entryway
and both paused to bow to the purple-furred Joshadan greeter.
Respect accorded, Egilka led the way to his room down the vaulted
corridor.
    “These are your lodgings?” Clajak
smirked at the bouquets of flowers lining the walls and the slow,
sensual music piping through the sound system. His grin grew even
larger when they went inside the suite of rooms.
    Egilka managed not to cringe. The suite
was sumptuous, designed to be a romantic retreat. Aromatic flowers
abounded, along with art vids depicting sensual scenes. The
furnishings were soft and billowy, inviting the guests to lounge or
wallow as their wants dictated. The large sleeping surface in
particular beckoned with the softest of furs and mirrored surfaces
surrounding it. Egilka had been all too aware that one closet
boasted items that would shame the brothel they’d just run
from.
    Clajak chortled, opening that
particular closet at once and discovering the toys. “Well, well. I
appreciate all you’re doing to lure me to your side,
Imdiko.”
    Egilka kept his back ramrod straight
and voice cool. “Don’t look at me. The room was arranged for by –
one of your parents.”
    At the last second, Egilka refrained
from telling Clajak it had been his mother who had booked the
lodgings. “I took care of it myself,” Empress Irdis breezily
informed him as he’d set off. “I hope you will be
comfortable.”
    Comfort was the last thing Egilka was
right now, thinking of how Irdis had not-so-subtly pushed this
moment upon him. At Clajak’s frown, he knew the prince realized who
was behind this setting of love and passion. The frown was chased
by a look of great unease.
    Good. Egilka wasn’t the only one
embarrassed by the empress’ attempt to bring them together. It had
to be worse for Clajak since the perpetrator was his own
mother.
    After an awkward moment of silence,
Clajak said, “So what is the plan now?”
    Egilka sat down on a chair big enough
for both of them to snuggle in. He toed his shoes off. “We’ll head
back to the Empire tomorrow. Transport is already arranged. I’ll
send for your belongings at the inn you’ve been staying
at.”
    Clajak regarded him with surprise. “But
you only just got here. Don’t you want to sample some of the
pleasures of Dantovon? I know this one place where the hostess
stages orgies that run nonstop with new partners added every hour.
We’re talking endless decadence until you fall unconscious from
exhaustion, my friend.”
    Egilka settled back in the chair and
closed his eyes against the headache forming behind them. “With a
Bi’isil prince gunning for you now? Not likely. You know how those
stupid Grays hold a grudge. Besides, I have work to do back on
Kalquor.”
    Clajak groaned. “Egilka, every time I
see you, you have work to do. Every time we’ve gotten together in a
purely social setting, you tell me you have work to do.”
    “That’s not true.” He rubbed the bridge
of his nose.
    Clajak’s voice beyond his closed lids
wouldn’t shut up. “Really? I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard,
‘Clajak, if you just wanted to sit around and drink, you can do
that on your own. I’ve got work to do.’ Or even, ‘My prince, this
meeting wasn’t so you could show me vids of Plasian girls having
sex. If that’s all