That is a good point, her inner dragon conceded. It settled down again in the depths of her mind. Tomorrow, we must send word back to Atlantis. The Voice of the Empress can send us more of our treasures.
Neridia chuckled under her breath, shaking her head at her dragon’s unabashed avarice. “The Master Shark is quite busy enough without distracting him with your whims, greedy beast.”
The Sea Council had not taken well to her appointment of the Master Shark as her Voice while she was away on land. Nonetheless, Neridia had great confidence in the megalodon shifter’s ability to bring the fractious sea nobles to heel. He could, after all, make them all fall silent merely by looking slightly hungry.
“You’ll have to be content with what we brought,” Neridia said to her dragon, smiling. “And our greatest treasure is already here, you know.”
Her dragon blinked its luminous eyes in contentment. Yes. He is.
John ducked through the doorway. Despite his caution, he still managed to catch his broad shoulders on the frame. Grimacing, he straightened—only to bash his head against the light fitting.
“This I have not missed about life on land,” he grumbled, catching hold of the swinging shade. “How small everything is.”
Neridia was somewhat regretting encouraging her knights to swap their helmets and armor for human clothes. Quite a few of her entourage already sported bruises across their foreheads, and it was still only their first day on land.
Though, she thought as she looked at her mate, there is definitely something to be said for human clothes.
John was already dressed for the evening’s formal dinner. The fine white fabric of his dress shirt clung to the powerful curves of his shoulders. She’d grown so accustomed to seeing him bare-chested in Atlantis, there was something erotic about his torso being covered.
Neridia found her gaze drifting lower, past the black cummerbund emphasizing the flatness of his abdomen. She regretfully tore her eyes away before she got too distracted. She still had to get ready, after all.
“Did you find out what all that shouting was about?” she asked John, as she went back to searching through her jewelry caskets.
“Ah.” He tilted his head, making the charms in his hair catch the light. “I fear that I have good news, and bad news.”
“What’s the good news?”
“The good news is that Fifth Knight of the Third Water has successfully defeated the unnatural creature lurking in our utility room.”
“What?” Neridia turned to stare at him.
His mouth quirked. “The bad news is that we need a new washing machine. Ideally one that does not make quite such an alarming growling noise when it starts.”
Neridia let out her breath in amusement. “Oh dear.”
“She was so proud at having saved her Empress from such a dire threat, I have not yet had the heart to explain the truth of the matter.” John sighed. “I have left her trying to work out how to dismember her kill. I think she plans to offer you its head as a trophy.”
“I’ll have a word with her later.” Neridia held a twisted rope of multi-colored pearls up to her neck, examining the effect in her mirror. “Any other casualties?”
“Seventh Artist of the Coalescing Tide has twisted his ankle. He absent-mindedly tried to swim off the deck. I have taken the opportunity to remind everyone about the concept of gravity.” John frowned, his tone shading darker with disapproval. “And it seems that Chase has introduced several of my knights to the concept of beer.”
“Don’t be too hard on them. It was their first human party, after all.”
“I shall not dispense any formal punishments.” John’s blue eyes glinted wickedly. “But I believe that I shall hold a full sword-drill tomorrow. At five in the morning.”
“A dead washing machine, a twisted ankle, and some hangovers. Our first day on land is going better than I expected.” Neridia tried on a simple circlet of gold, set with a pearl the size of a walnut. “Hmm. Is this too much?”
Even without looking at him, Neridia could feel John’s appreciative gaze sweeping down her silk-clad body. “Too much for what?”
“For the dinner tonight.” Neridia straightened the circlet, frowning at herself in the mirror. “It’s just local dignitaries, like the mayor and the regional representatives for the Parliament of Shifters. I don’t want to overdress for the occasion.”
Gently but firmly, John took the circlet from her head. “You are the Pearl Empress. It is impossible for you to be overdressed. You are the occasion.”
“John!” Neridia protested as he picked up one of her most elaborate crowns, a golden confection that blazed with diamonds and black pearls. “I can’t wear that!”
“But it is the one that becomes you the most.” He settled the
crown on her head. “And besides, it is my favorite.”