Page 25 of Taken By the Crab King of Atlantis

“I’m sorry you had to do that.”

“I understand.” She’s calm and polite, bearing her duty gracefully as I cannot right now. “Your responsibilities are significant.” Between the words, I hear the rejection.

“It is not such a burden.”

“Kilandra showed me the areas of the city in disrepair.” She sips her wine, gaze averted. I stiffen, cursing Kilandra silently, my eyes flicking around the room to see if I can find her. I can’t see her from my vantage point, and my gaze returns to Yen.

“I won’t ask why you won’t open trade to repair things. I’m sure you have your reasons. Running a city sounds exhausting. I think I’d rather work a regular job and go home to my family every night. And of course, I have a lot to do back home.” She avoids my gaze.

I get a strange vision of her on a couch in an ordinary home working on a laptop while I cook us dinner. An ordinary life. Longing fills my chest, so powerful it shocks me.

I haven’t separated my own desires from Atlantis’ well-being for a very long time; I had forgotten there was a part of me that might want something else — a life beyond Atlantis, beyond meetings with diplomats and formal dinners and balls. The unexpected consequence of staying in this world for the past 200 years is the baggage Yen and I will have to deal with.

But Marina is part of that baggage. A sharp pang of guilt stabs my gut. For a moment, I had wished her away.

I stand abruptly. It is rude, but I don’t have it in me to stay longer.

“I apologize. I must attend to some urgent business.”

I don’t wait for her response as I exit the restaurant as fast as I can.

9

YEN

Despite the abrupt ending, the date I had with Karkinos was the best I’ve ever had. Admittedly, I haven’t had many.

I’m thinking about it when I return to my hotel room. I’m thinking about him. The porter drops me off at the door of my room, and I stand inside with the door closed for a full five minutes, staring into space, before I open the door again and walk down the hall.

I find the elevator again, take it a floor up, and knock on a door. Quan opens the door, a spoon in their hand. Beyond them, a room-service tray rests on the bedspread.

Their eyes widen, and they immediately drag me inside and shut the door behind them. “Tell me everything.”

Ten minutes later we’re sitting on Quan’s white bedspread amid a pile of chocolate wrappers, a glass of red wine in hand. I’m quite drunk.

“He was sexy, charming, powerful but not domineering, and he was genuinely interested in your life. Girl, this is the best date I’ve never had.” Quan waves their own glass of wine around, and it sloshes dangerously.

I blush when I think back to how different Karkinos was in his office this morning compared to how he was at dinner. He turned me on in his office; he charmed me at dinner. The combination of the two is intoxicating.

“He was surprisingly vulnerable,” I say, shaking my head in wonder. “Not what I was expecting. He definitely stalked me on social media.” My stomach flutters with the flattery, and I take another sip of wine.

“So, what’s the problem?”

“At the end, there were dignitaries. They all wanted to meet me. The whole leadership thing is overwhelming. I got freaked out.”

“But you didn’t agree to anything more, right? You only agreed to two nights.”

I nod. “There’s another thing… a couple of them mentioned his ex.”

“Ugh, now we’re in it. The dreaded ex. Did she leave him scarred and afraid to love again? Does she want him back? Is she scheming?” Quan’s eyes are wide, gesturing with waving fingers.

“No, it sounds like she was perfect. And she died.”

“Dead is great! So, what’s the problem?” Quan asks. “You don’t have to commit after tomorrow night.” They tick off on their fingers. “And the ex is out of the picture.”

I laugh aloud. “You’re right, I just…” I shrug. Karkinos’ face, the rare smiles that light him up, his gaze that never leaves my body for long…

Realization dawns on Quan’s face. “He was too perfect, wasn’t he?”