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the
doors.”
    “You did, but it is morning and there is trouble
afoot. Chain your slave,” she said, pivoting to face the door. “The emperor
comes.”
    Ryuu tensed. “How long?”
    “Five minutes at the most,” another guard near the
door said tersely.
    Ryuu cursed and threw back the silk covers. “Drakon,
give me your hands,” he said, picking up the silver chains.
    Drakon rubbed his face, still sleepy. “What’s
happening?”
    “Your hands!” Ryuu had unraveled the links and now held open a set
of manacles.
    Drakon thought of arguing, but if the emperor was
indeed on his way, fighting with the man who’d shown him kindness and comfort
wasn’t the way he wanted to meet his ultimate adversary. Silent, he held out
his arms. Ryuu hurriedly snapped the cuffs shut and pressed his finger to the
key pad. Light flared as the manacles read his genetic code. Now only Ryuu
would be able to remove them. They were looser than Drakon had expected, but
the cold, familiar weight of restraints made his gut twist. He hadn’t realized
how much he’d appreciated not being chained up.
    Ryuu pressed his lips together as their fingers
tangled. Then he reached up and looped the end of the chains around a hook
above the bed. Drakon hadn’t even realized it was there. The prince frowned,
pressed a stud, and the hook ratcheted into the wall to effectively imprison
Drakon.
    “There’s a chamber pot under the nightstand,” Ryuu
muttered, running his hands through his hair as he hurriedly pulled on a robe. “Just in case.”
    Drakon didn’t think Ryuu realized he’d pulled on the
green robe he’d worn last night. Not that it matters, he thought
bitterly. Both robes are his. I own nothing but my skin.
    Drakon had tried to cover himself while Ryuu had
donned his robe, but he couldn’t even kick the blankets over his legs. One
sharp glance from Ryuu curtailed his attempts at modesty.
    “He comes,” the male guard by the door said,
stiffening.
    “Of course he does, Zinan,” Ryuu said, pouring a glass
of water and arranging himself near the table. He
affected a casual pose, sipping at his drink.
    Drakon licked his dry lips. Ryuu spared him one last
sad glance before his face slid into a neutral expression. “At
attention, Svana. Zinan.”
    The guards snapped their fists to their chests and
stood on either side of the door. When the boom of a fist sounded on the other
side, Ryuu nodded. Svana stepped forward and slid open a panel at eye height.
    “It is the emperor, Sire,” she said formally.
    “My father, hmm? By all means, open the door for him, Svana.” Ryuu
sipped from his glass, but the liquid in the tumbler didn’t go down.
    From what Drakon could see, he wasn’t drinking at all. He affects a pose, to confuse his father. Drakon approved. The more he saw of this man, the Arethuza prince he’d thought
would be his mortal enemy, the more he liked him. Which is a good thing, since you are bonding
to him.
    “Majesty,” Zinan said, bowing low. Svana followed
suit. A man of average height walked into the room, trailed by four stone-faced
guards. The emperor wore red pants with a red tunic and half-armor protecting
his chest, also red. His graying hair was brushed back from his forehead,
showing a lined face with cold, silver eyes just like Ryuu’s. His guards wore
full armor in a deep maroon shade.
    All of them look like they bathed in blood. Hatred flared through Drakon, and he lowered his eyes
so they wouldn’t see his loathing for them. The last thing he needed was to
draw attention to himself .
    The emperor halted, well away from his son’s reach.
With military precision, the guards formed up around the ruler and settled into
a protective stance.
      “Well, well, my
son. I see you have enjoyed yourself this past night,” the emperor said. His
voice conveyed equal parts disgust and approval as he glanced at the bed. His
cold gaze dismissed Drakon almost immediately.
    Of course he thinks nothing of me, Drakon