Page 115 of Silver & Gold

“No.”

She turned to walk with him, not pressing.

In the week since the battle in the throne room, the palace had been cleaned and restored, Rahim had been apprehended and executed, and Kahzir’s laboratory had been thoroughly investigated.

This was the first time Seth had seen it. He’d been with Raider up until this afternoon. In their room at the inn, Raider had slept a lot. That had scared Seth a little, but it had seemed to help. They had walked around the city some. They had talked a bit.

Raider hadn’t wanted to talk about what had happened after Kahzir had taken him to the lab. Seth hadn’t pressed about that, and now, having seen the place, he was glad he hadn’t.

Fuck.

He hated that Raider had been subjected to that again. He hated that Raider had ever been subjected to that.

But he’d needed to see it.

Raider, thank the gods, had understood. Or at least, he’d accepted it.

Raider was still struggling to talk about what had happened, but he wasn’t trying to hide it like he used to. And he was letting Seth see when he needed him.

It made Seth anxious to be separated from him now. It was the first time in a whole week. But Raider had wanted to talk to Zarina, and Seth had needed to do this.

“This is yours,” Nasrin said as they walked through the palace. She was holding out his multi tool.

Seth took it. “What the hell?”

“I rescued it from the cliff. The one you went over?”

“You say that like I could ever forget.”

“Don’t worry. It’s etched in my memory too. Along with a lot of other things.”

“Yeah. No kidding.”

Raider and Zarina were waiting for them in the entrance hall. They were talking quietly. Raider smiled a little at something Zarina said. Seth’s breath caught at the sight of that smile. Raider glanced up. His lips tugged harder at whatever he saw on Seth’s face. Then he held out his hand. Seth quickened his pace and took it.

Zarina smiled at them. Nasrin came to stand beside her, not touching, neither of them expressing anything of their feelings. Seth ached for them, that they could not—or felt they could not—expose their relationship. He hoped that someday they would have the freedom and security to do so. But that was for them to judge. He was grateful—gods, was he grateful—to be able to show his love for Raider. And to get to receive, freely and openly, Raider’s love for him.

“Tomorrow,” Zarina said. “On the tide. I will miss you, old friend.”

“There was a time I wouldn’t have believed I’d be glad to see you, Zarina, but I truly am.”

“You will always be welcome here. Both of you.”

Raider nodded a little. Seth knew what that look on his face meant. He appreciated her words, but he had no intention of returning. When they set sail tomorrow, it would be the last time he saw Kastari.

Zarina nodded like she saw this truth and understood.

As they left the palace, Raider asked, “Can we get some fried plantains?”

Seth hooked an arm around Raider’s waist. “We can get whatever you want. We can go to the theater, too, if you’d like.”

“Not tonight. I just want to be with you.”

Seth smiled and kissed him.

CHAPTER 38

RAIDER SIPPED HIS WINE and watched Seth staring out across the rooftops of Kastari. They had brought their room’s table out onto the rooftop patio to eat dinner and drink wine. Raider was wearing a sarong. So was Seth. It looked damn good on him.