Temel led them to a modest house at the edge of the village. There were a handful of rooms in the house, and they were all comfortably furnished, but they lacked the grandeur of the places Alex had been staying in of late. It didn't matter to Alex though. She was happy to see the way the real people of Devas lived. It felt more like what she was used to.
“Would you like to clean up?” Temel asked, turning to Alex as he led her and Balthazar into a sitting room. He motioned to a door to the right of him. “I'm sure it's not as nice as the baths at the palace, but I have a private hot spring that's the envy of the entire village.”
Alex looked at Balthazar who gave her an expectant look that she wanted to punch off his face. He quirked an eyebrow at her and she arched one right back. They stared each other down for a short moment before Alex finally gave in.
“Sure,” she mumbled, looking away from him with chagrin. She shuffled over to the door Temel had indicated and could feel the steam coming from the room before she even entered it.
“There should be some clothing in there of my mate's that will fit you,” Temel said as he and Balthazar settled themselves on cushions that were laid out on either side of a low square table. Alex mumbled a quick thanks and closed the door behind her.
“What is she?” Temel asked, turning to Balthazar once she had left the room. “She smells incredible.”
“Tell me about it,” Balthazar said with a grumble. “She's a human.”
There were only two people in the entire kingdom that Balthazar felt like he could actually be himself around. Two people that he knew he could always confide in. Tavi was one, and Temel was the other. Temel was in the same training platoon as both Balthazar and Tavi when they were boys. Every demon boy was expected to complete basic military training, and even a crown prince was not exempt. Things had been so different back then though, before the weight of responsibility settled on his shoulders. He could actually make friends and be sort of normal. Temel was one of the few that had survived the growth into adolescence.
“No,” Temel said, slamming his hand on the table as his eyes grew wide. “Really? A human?”
“Yes, really,” Balthazar said with a slow nod.
“How the hell do you control yourself around a thing like that? I see the way she looks at you,” Temel said with a sly smile. He pointed his finger at Balthazar. “That's some massive control you've got there, my friend. I don't think she'd remain a girl for longer than a day in my company.”
“I'm sure she wouldn't,” Balthazar said with a little laugh. “Its not fucking easy, I'll tell you that much.”
“I bet,” Temel said. “All that residual arousal in her scent. You must have a serious case of blue balls.”
“You have no idea,” Balthazar said, gritting his teeth and shifting in his seat. Blue balls didn't even come close to describing the feelings he had when it came to Alexandra.
“She's done something to you,” Temel said, narrowing his eyes a little as he looked over his friend. “I think I like it.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Balthazar said. He looked down at his lap and shook his head.
“So, why have you come to my humble little village?” Temel said, sensing the remorse in his friend and wanting to change the conversation. “I know its not to just show off your little human friend.”
“Frankly,” Balthazar said, letting out a heavy sigh. “My kingdom is falling apart and I don't have the power to keep it together.”
“I've heard news of the uprising with Baal and Hasan,” Temel said. He didn't seem at all surprised about what Balthazar had just said. “Surely you'll be able to--”
“It is not Baal that worries me. He's no longer much of a threat,” Balthazar said. He picked at a splinter on the table. “Apparently there are many that would see me following quickly in my father’s steps.”
“And you'll stop them all, just like you did with Baal. I have no doubt,” Temel said, but looking at Balthazar he did have doubt. In all the time Temel had known him, he never knew Balthazar to worry about anything. Now he could see the concern in his royal ashen blue eyes.
“Lord Krishna will declare war. Probably soon,” Balthazar said. “I don't have the power to fight him.”
“The other Great Lords won't stand by and let that happen,” Temel said, shaking his head. Balthazar could see the concern growing on his face too.
“They will,” Balthazar said darkly, “because they want to crush us just as much, if not more.”
“But why would Lord Krishna attack us? It doesn't make sense. What grounds does he have for war?” Temel asked, his brows pulling together.
Balthazar was silent for a moment. He didn’t want to answer. He knew that he could stop it by mating the Asuri princess, but to do that would also be conceding defeat and that was something he wasn't willing to do.
“He wants an alliance between our houses,” Balthazar said, “His daughter to be my mate and Sultana.”
“And you don't want that,” Temel said. It wasn't a question. He knew that Balthazar would never take an Asuri to be his mate, much less his Sultana. The Sultana would bear the first born, and crown prince, of the kingdom. He would reign after Balthazar was gone, and he would be half Asuri. His loyalty to Devas would always be in question. Lord Krishna was trying to gain control of the Devas through diplomatic means. If that failed, then he'd do it through warfare.
“Why would he ever think you would mate his daughter?” Temel asked.
“It was my father’s last act,” Balthazar said, sadness filling his eyes for a split second at the memory of his father and their last conversation together. “He agreed to the union. There's nothing I can do but renege, which is more than enough grounds to declare war.”
Temel sat for a long moment, digesting the information he had just received. It was troubling times in the Kingdom, and he did not envy the young prince for his position.
“I'm glad to see you,” Temel said with a heavy sigh. He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. “But I don't know what assistance I can be to you.”
“Simiri,” Balthazar said. It was one name but it said alot to Temel. He shifted in his cushion and sat up straighter.
“Her ashes, to be exact,” Balthazar said, when his friend made no comment.
“She hasn’t been seen around the mines for nearly a century,” Temel said, shaking his head. It was a weak defense and they both knew it.
“I need her, Temel,” Balthazar said. He hated that he had to ask this of his friend. He knew how close he was to her, but there really was no other way.
“I don't know what to tell you,” Temel said, leaning away from the table. He spread his arms out wide. “You know how elusive she can—“
“You know what I need from you,” Balthazar said, his voice turning a bit more authoritative.
“I can't,” Temel said, shaking his head. He refused to look Balthazar in the eyes.
“I'll command you if I must,” Balthazar said. His voice lost some edge but the words were still harsh to say. He didn't want it to be this way, but he had no other choice.
Temel sighed heavily and rose from the table. “You know she'll die?” Temel said, looking over his shoulder at Balthazar for just a moment. Balthazar met his gaze with as much stoicism as he could muster. He really didn't want to do this, but Salaman was clear on what he needed. Temel turned around and stalked to a back room of his house.
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