In this scene from Ring of the Dragon, Pietas is on the planet Felidae trying to find a horse. He and the Kin female guide he's hired, nicknamed Dark Hair, have spent the first day in a fruitless search. Hungry, beyond exhausted, they return to their shared room. Dark Hair has taken a bath, and summoned Pietas to scrub her back. He's hidden much about himself, including the fact that he's a king. She refers to him as "nahee" meaning alien, because she can tell the name he's given her is fake.
A servant's heart
Dark Hair's furskin felt like wet velvet under his hands. He didn't stop until he'd massaged every bit of her back and neck. "Rinse?"
She slid down in the water and then sat back up. With one easy movement, she stood.
Pietas braced himself on the tub's edge as he stood, fighting not to wince at the pain in his shoulders. He offered his hand as she stepped out of the tub.
Naked, she stood before him like a queen, as confident and powerful as if she wore robes of state.
He picked up a thick towel, as lush as any aboard his vessel. Clean, white, soft. He dried her and took care to keep his touch from being intimate. When he knelt to dry her clawed feet, she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You look up, nahee."
He met her gaze.
"Who you serve before me?"
"Serve? You mean"-- He motioned with the towel --"like this?"
Dark Hair nodded.
He thought of Cyken. "A king."
"King." She stooped before him, peering into his eyes. "Was king to you. But you are king."
Had he let something slip? He'd taken care not to bring anything that gave his true identity. "Why would you say I'm a king?"
She kissed him, her lips gentle against his, and then pulled back. "I see in everything you do. You not servant." She caressed his face. "You have power. I feel. But you hold inside. You not take power for you. You give this power." She flattened one hand over his chest. "You king with servant heart."
Pride and gratitude brought tears to his eyes, and he turned his head and blinked them away.
Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/hot-series
Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative blog hop hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
Hi,
I love this excerpt, and I wanted to read more. Is this a work in progress, or is the book already out?
Shalom shalom
Yes, Ring of the Dragon is available. Click the book cover to go to the universal buy link. And thank you!
Hi again, Kayelle,
As you can see, I didn’t get it right with linking my blog. I have used the linky tool before by another blog hop, but I only had to insert my URL, and my name appeared on the list. I am frustrated right now because this seems so difficult. I will not give up, but I’m thinking about it.
Shalom shalom
I emailed you. I think I have a solution.
Oh, this sounds wonderful. Another side of Pietas.
Thanks, Lisabet. This book is Pietas being himself. I usually write him from other people’s pov, but this book is entirely in his.
King with a servant’s heart. That says so much about him. Well done.
thank you, Maggie! I appreciate it. 🙂