“Then I will keep it on,” Faust countered, pleased at the way Ignas’s eyes lit in challenge.
“Lead the way to a safe place, Nik,” Faust said. “You have been here long enough to spend time in a brothel, I do hope you have proper housing.”
Nik waved his hand in annoyance. “You sound like Konrad.”
“So?” Faust smiled.
Nik shared a look with Rene and began walking. “Konrad spoils him too much. We’ll be on the outskirts of town, but I have a meeting with the guild later, so you better behave.”
“Good,” Rene responded instead. “We have more business with them, too.”
“Ignas and Zara come too,” Faust added.
“Yeah, yeah,” Nik said. “Bring the lucky man and lady. We have places to be.”
Chapter Twelve
“And why did we end up at one of his establishments?” Rene hissed with a dark look at Ignas’s not so subtle smile.
“It was secluded and safe,” Nik said. “You are such a nag. How does my brother stand you?”
Faust hid a small smile. He wondered the same at times.
“Boss!” a young man called as the door closed behind the group. “We’ve been expecting you. Your room is ready.” He tipped his head to Nik. “Welcome back, Nik.”
Nik gave him a charming smile.
“Thank you. Return to your fun,” Ignas said with a wave of his hand and turned to Faust. “I have private quarters upstairs we can use to talk, my lord.”
Faust nodded. The tavern held dark woods and various weapons along the walls. He should have been alarmed, but this was Ignas’s place. He trusted Ignas would not lead him into danger, and the tavern carried Ignas’s warmth. He had little to fear.
Someone whistled. “Is he your newest fling, boss?”
Faust jerked his attention to the offending voice, but the man fell off his stool in a rather ungraceful tumble from a burst of wind.
Rene scoffed as his sky stone lit. “Any more comments, gentlemen?”
“I would like to make one thing clear.” Faust gestured to Ignas. “He belongs to me, not the other way around.” Something deep in his soul agreed with his statement, rejoicing with such ferocity, Faust felt little embarrassment over his claim.
“I expect him to be treated as my equal,” Ignas said. “Let that be known.”
“Finally got hitched?” someone asked.
Ignas didn’t bother with a response and offered a hand to Faust.
Faust glanced up at Ignas with a small smile, taking Ignas’s hand.
“I will stay down here and bring up Nik’s guests when they arrive,” Zara said and walked over to a table, ordering a drink.
Ignas led Faust up the stairs, ignoring the glare Rene shot them. Faust spared a haughty look back.
Rene gritted his teeth.
Ignas’s room held a low bed, and it was covered with warm blankets and a few pelts. The walls held a few weapons, and his furniture carried the same dark wood as the tavern below. The only difference in this room from the last one was the metal trunks at the end of the bed. Ignas had a particular style, it seemed.
Faust sank into the low seating area with a grin. He had wanted to sit on this in Ignas’s last tavern. It was comfortable with all the pillows!
Ignas settled next to Faust like he’d always belonged there.
Rene cleared his throat, motioning for distance, to which Ignas ignored, and Faust couldn’t have been more amused.
“Let them be, Rene,” Nik said. “Where shall I start?”
“Why are you really here?” Faust asked.
“For various reasons,” Nik said. “I am the wayward prince for a reason. It keeps the attention off my actions, no matter how big or small they are. Which in turn, makes it easier for me to relay information to our dear brother, the king.”
Faust should have known Konrad would do something like this.
“However,” Nik continued, “I was in the dark about your affinity with magic, and I doubt Takis knows either.”
“Few know, Your Highness,” Rene said. “It is a well-kept secret. Someone ordered the king to never let Emoris know. It would mean the end of Prince Faust’s life.”
Faust nodded. “The second Emoris learned, I was nearly killed by Joel, and then a group from Windilum tried to kidnap me.” He gestured to Ignas. “But he saved me, allowing Konrad to sneak me out of Limorous.”
Nik grinned. “And so you fell for him.”
Faust didn’t have a response. In a way, he did. He was strongly attracted to Ignas. Faust wanted all of Ignas’s attention on him, but that was unreasonable, and Nik didn’t need to know.
Ignas reached over and dragged Faust to his side. “Be honest, gorgeous.”
Warmth surrounded Faust, and he relaxed into Ignas, their magic sliding together in a slow pass. He teased the laces on Ignas’s tunic. “Perhaps,” Faust said with a shy smile.
Ignas kissed Faust’s temple, and a giddy smile crossed Faust’s lips.
Rene growled in annoyance.
Nik waved the historian down. “So, what is it you two have been ordered to do?”
“I am to act as the court merchant and correct anything I find in the name of Prince Faust,” Faust said. “Corruption has run amok everywhere I go. I must do something before I reach the Kingdom of Roltan. The people should know we are trying to help them since the Kingsley Knights do not.”
Nik leaned back with a heavy sigh. “Even you have been moved onto his board . . .” He ran a hand through his hair. “There is so much wrong with Hol. Almost every city is corrupted, so I can at least prepare you for what you will see down the line. Taxes are high, as you know, but there’s a bigger gap growing every day. Those with magic are favored as well.”
“That isn’t all,” Ignas added. “People are sold every day to the brothels to pay for debts or just to survive another day.” He glanced to Faust. “The ones I met with today gathered quite a bit of information. They’ve pinpointed which lords in Hol are ordering the appointed officials to raise taxes and exempt them.”
Faust eyed Ignas.
“I have told you before, I only bed the willing and sober.”
Faust wasn’t certain he could believe that. Ignas appeared to have had a good tumble in the sheets back in the brothel, but the time between when he left and returned matched Ignas’s statement. He still didn’t like the charade, though.
Nik winked. “The owner there is different Faust. She only allows the well-behaved patrons in her house,” he said. “Anyone that walks in and treats them with ill will is thrown out. It is a home for those who wish to bring change. They traverse the brothels for dirt on others. We may not like it, but it is all we can do to gather information on the people without attracting unwanted attention. They tend to spill information to those they believe can’t do anything.”
“But, what about those that work in these . . . conditions? Is there anything we can do for them now?” Faust asked.
“We are hoping to put an end to all this soon.” Nik motioned to Ignas. “The owner spoke highly of his group wanting change as well. The coin Ignas pays keeps the vile people from buying anyone from the brothel for wretched things.”