51.1. Inevitable Attraction - Part 1

I freeze when Gotrid's wings touch me and get goosebumps. I caress Liana's wings all the time but there's something different about touching Gotrid's wings. It's... erotic. I forgot to breathe for a few seconds and when I finally gasp for air, Erik is suddenly standing next to us and slaps Gotrid's hand that is still holding mine.

"Oops," Gotrid smirks and backs away. "Sorry, Royal Consort, I couldn't help myself. Our Emperor is so cute after all."

Gotrid's apparent apology isn't helping, it's only making things worse. He has no ulterior motives when it comes to me simply because his intentions are as clear as the day and that pisses Erik off even more. How can he be so bold? And does a part of me... like it?

"You...!" Erik gets furious but just as he's about to raise his voice, Liana quickly stands up and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't cause a scene, you're the Royal Consort and people are watching," she whispers to him urgently.

To be honest, we already caused a scene. The room got unnaturally quiet and people are staring and turning to us to see what's happening.

"Erik," I clutch his hand to calm him down but as I do so, I get a full dose of his jealousy.

If I wasn't sitting down, I'd probably wobble. It's still him, my beloved partner, I love everything about him. But this burning human emotion he's feeling right now makes me nauseous so I flinch.

"Love?" Erik blinks a few times in utter confusion. It takes him three seconds to realise that I let go of his hand because I couldn't stand holding him.

"Erik, Godrid, sit, both of you," Liana hisses through her teeth as silently as possible.

Erik sits down mechanically like a robot and Bauerova's wife Elizabeth is so tactful that she continues in their conversation as if nothing happened. Gotrid sits right in front of me next to Taranah and keeps smiling at me happily.

Sorry, I had no idea he's planning such an entrée, Liana slightly stretches her left wing to me so that she can send me her thoughts. I thought he was just being proactive when he volunteered to help Twyla with checking our breakfast.

I don't answer anything because I'm too conflicted. Gotrid is distracting me with his grinny smile and it's impossible to ignore how gorgeous his wings are. As for Erik... I think I seriously hurt him when I flinched away. I try reading his thoughts but he's thinking frantically and isn't willing to connect to me. They are both torturing me!

"Eat, Your Majesty," Luviael nudges me because I still didn't touch my breakfast.

Gotrid winks at me when I look down on the ketchupy heart symbol. I ostentatiously roll my eyes and smudge the heart across the omelette.

Erik, please, talk to me, I send my partner a desperate plea and take the first bite even though I don't feel like eating.

I hurt you, he finally answers. My emotions... hurt you.

No, you didn't! I was just startled, that's all!

I know I did, he insists. My jealousy is hurting you.

Gotrid shouldn't have done that, I oppose. You were right to get angry.

I got angry at him but I ended up hurting you, he says broken-heartedly. Let's talk about it later, I can't focus on talking to Elizabeth and I don't want Liana suspecting that your telepathy got stronger again.

"Aefener?" Liana touches my hand all of a sudden. I almost jump but it doesn't seem she noticed anything.

"Too much drama for one early morning, I lost my appetite," I murmur and glance at Gotrid who's stuffing himself with a Nutella toast while talking to Taranah.

I shouldn't have allowed him being here, she switches to telepathy, doubting her decision now. He was begging me to see you as soon as possible for weeks and I thought... well...

You thought...? I slowly chew another mouthful. I have to force myself to eat.

I was hoping it would help you to have another Celestial by your side, she says.

Am I not surrounded by Celestials all the time?

You know what I mean, she passes me salt because Celestials consider rude to use telekinesis during formal meals.

Your Majesty, you don't talk enough... aloud, Luvi gently kicks me under the table, suspecting that I'm taking to my Viceroy telepathically.

Liana turns to the Prime Minister while I'm made aware by Luviael that I need to finish my plate. But I find it hard to eat when Erik won't talk to me properly, Gotrid is undressing me with his gaze and other guests are staring.

"What about pancakes, Your Majesty?" Cien brings me another plate when she notices I'm struggling with the eggs.

Unlike humans, Celestials have much greater need for sugar and we digest it really well without any possibility of developing diabetes so I give the pancakes a chance. And it's much easier, I don't need to force every bite and the sweet taste relaxes me a bit. Any other time my maids would prefer I eat healthy food but this time they're glad that I eat at least something.

"Your Majesty...?" Luviael whispers to me in panic because she notices I massage my temples.

"I'm fine," I assure her.

I can feel the pressure coming from all sides but so far, I'm managing because I'm surrounded by Draconians. It makes me fully realise one thing, though. I might be unable to live among humans if it came to that.

"Could I maybe go for some fresh air?" I ask because I'm simply not able to take another bite despite the pancakes being really delicious.

"Well, there is a terrace," Cien answers slowly.

"Perfect," I stand up and realise my mistake just a second later.

There's this stupid royal protocol which says that when the Emperor stops eating, it means the end of the meal for everyone at the table. Not that we were practicing it at home but here... everyone puts down their cutlery and quickly stands up as well.

"Ryuu," Erik gets to me immediately. "You're pale."

"I just need some fresh air, that's all," I say and try reaching for his hand.

I'm afraid he will avoid me but no such thing happens. He clutches me firmly and lets me enter his mind. He's still pissed at Gotrid but he mostly calmed down by now.

I'm sorry again, Erik says. I'm not hurting you anymore, am I?

You could never truly hurt me, I look at him tenderly.

Cien shows us the way to the terrace and the general murmur in the room grows stronger. We pass several tables on our way out and most of the delegates are looking at us as if we were aliens.

"Aefener," Twyla calls after us and I finally see where the Earthborn delegation is sitting. "Can we join you?"

"Of course," I nod and study her appearance.

I can understand why humans would see us as alien but not why they call us monsters. Twyla is exceedingly beautiful and I don't need to be an Earthborn to appreciate it. Her rooty hair plays with all colours, her green skin is literally glowing and the protective scaly leaves she's wearing instead of clothes look like a proper formal gown. Werden, whom I've seen already, joins us as well.

"Celestial magic is really indispensable," Werden comments when my guards put up a protective shield because we're in the open.

"Aefener," Twyla hugs me warmly when humans sitting inside can't see us. "Are you okay? I'm so happy to finally see you in person. All of you."

"I'm fine, just nervous," I say and nod that it's okay if she wants to caress my wings. I do feel tiny bit better with breeze blowing into my feathers.

"Celestials are so fascinating," she says enthusiastically, blatantly analysing my wing muscles. "We could theoretically grow feathers if we really wanted because that's not so difficult but even with our powers, it would be impossible to grow wings and adjust the whole body for flight."

"Just as it's impossible for us to inspect one's very genetics," I say and manage a smile. "It's good to see you, too, Twyla, Werden."

"My Emperor," Gotrid tries to get closer again but Liana clicks her tongue and pulls him aside. No doubt for scolding and setting up boundaries.

"Your Majesty," Bauerova shows up, trailing after us. "I get it that you must have felt suffocated there but hiding here won't send a good message."

"Give him a minute," Erik frowns at her.

I'm given a minute but no more than that. My protectors get anxious and I can feel the people inside becoming nervous as well. As if we could be plotting something here.

"What about I walk inside with Your Majesty and Erik walks with my lovely wife?" Elizabeth has an idea.

"That could work, Liz," Erik surprisingly agrees. Oh? When did they start addressing each other so casually? Did I miss something?

He lets go of my hand, making sure that Gotrid won't use this as an opportunity, and allows Elizabeth to walk next to me. Bauerova's wife is an easy-going person and she's naturally curious about Draconians, I feel good beside her. If only more humans were like her. We return inside looking like we're engaged in a friendly conversation.

"Actually, Your Majesty," Elizabeth says, "don't be deceived by some delegates, they're are only putting up a facade. Not everybody here hates you and there are more than a few who are mesmerised by new races."

"There are?" I'm astonished and we follow Cien who shows us into a café lounge.

"How couldn't we be?" Elizabeth shrugs. "Draconians possess amazing abilities and you're expected to live much longer than we do. Naturally, people will envy that. I'd even dare to say that most hate is just envy in disguise."

That's weird to hear, especially after I came to the conclusion that humans either hate us or they are reluctantly accepting in the best case.

"Moreover, Your Majesty is so beautiful that it's no wonder you make your opponents nervous when they're supposed to face you," she adds. "Especially religious people like the US President. They can't help looking at you and not seeing an angel."

Even though we don't like being compared to angels, Elizabeth meant it in a good way so I blush. Might she be right about that? Are some politicians anxious around us not because they'd hate us but because we just unnerve them? We can work on that.