NO. OMG, no. No one who is destined to fall in love with one of the Seven Siblings asks said Sibling to get him a hook-up with Rini right after they have sex.
I loved all sorts of things about this chapter, starting with this:
“Your Highness,” Orinakin said, opening the door, “I can hardly call this meeting to a close if I’m stumbling over my words. A little mercy, please.”
Chuckling, Bade rolled over. “I’ll give you five minutes.”
“Ten?” Orinakin asked.
“Ten,” Bade agreed, “but no more. Your employees need rest, too.” Slipping his hand between his legs, he fondled himself just enough to make his body perk up, knowing that Orinakin would feel it, wanting to tease.
“Ah,” Orinakin said, weakly. “Yes, vinga, you make an excellent point.”
“Ten minutes,” Bade said, stroking.
“Five,” Orinakin said, hurrying away.
And this:
The sun. Sunrise. It reminded Xio Voe of the gods’ majesty. Of Anosukinom’s power. Kicking harder, he reached for it, straining towards it. He wanted to be one with the sun, its power, its burning light. He wanted to be one with Anosukinom, with power, with the gods, omnipotent. He wanted to be with Anosukinom again, to feel Anosukinom’s presence in his veins, to feel that glorious omnipotence humming across his skin. He wanted to open up for it, to let it take over, to let it sink deep, to let it penetrate, to-
Was he having a religious moment or a fuck fantasy?
And this was UTTERLY BRILLIANT:
Slowly, Xio Voe set down his fork, sitting back. His voice was the coldest water in the deepest well. “No more than a fool and a child? This is how you speak of a future Emperor?”
“A future Emperor?” the man asked, laughing. “Heir Voe, you are a future Emperor. The pharaoh isn’t fit to lead the Eternal Empire.”
“And you,” Xio Voe said, standing, rising to his full height, pushing back his chair and looking down his nose at the man, “are not fit to dine with intelligent humanity. Let our host feed you with the beasts and the swine, but step away from this table.”
There were a lot of shocked exclamations, protestations, and apologies. Whenever Xio Voe displayed unhappiness, the majority of the people around him usually apologized and tried to set things right, no matter how unrelated they personally were to whatever he objected to.
“That barefoot pharaoh is my fiancé. That barefoot pharaoh,” Xio Voe continued, coldly, precisely, “shall be pharaoh as I am king. That barefoot pharaoh shall be Emperor over you all. That barefoot pharaoh is Anosukinom, the living god among us. Mutotanosa Situkabulanin Elanilanulanori Banotuda Kudorin A Rituliti. Highest child of the gods, ruler of all within their borders, most sacred, precious, divine, and holy gift to all in that land, the 182nd. That barefoot pharaoh is my jarouje. I will tolerate no words spoken against Anosukinom as I would tolerate no words spoken against any of our gods. As I am your Heir, he is your future Emperor. You will speak of him accordingly.”
Pale faces stared at him.
Xio Voe had no interest in this food or this company. “I thank you for your hospitality,” he said, and he walked out.
Is there anything better than Xio Voe verbally bitchslapping someone in defense of the love of his life? NO THERE IS NOT. I'd go on about it, but it really is so awesome that it speaks for itself.
Rini and Desin never fail to make me laugh:
“Is there anyone we haven’t both fucked?” Desin asked.
Rini shrugged, grinning. “I can’t help it if I’m irresistible.”
“This never used to come up. People either liked me or you.”
“Yeah, but Kudorin and Remin and Orinakin are unavailable, first Talin had Hitari and now Anosanim has Ritek, and Selorin doesn’t even always have a boyfriend a month anymore. If you want one of the Eight Siblings, only three are available at once these days, and that’s if you’re lucky. It’s just smart to get both you and me, because that might be all you’ll ever get.”
Desin considered that.
“You don’t mind, do you?” Rini started to frown.
“No,” Desin said, and shot Rini a reassuring grin. “No, I don’t mind. We’re so different, I don’t even think they can really compare us.”
“Right,” Rini said. “Although if they did, I’d win.”
Snorting, Desin palmed Rini’s face and pushed his head back. “You wish, Extra.”
I liked meeting Zhemt, too. It's always great to see Desin with a sex parter of equal or greater physical strength, plus I liked hearing about how Orina Anoria actively and vehemently works on human rights. It makes me wonder, though, if Jacacea works on human rights like that and if they don't (which wouldn'st surprise me with how self-interested they are) how will that change now that Xio Voe will have both OKudorin and Orinakin convincing him to do more?
I think that one of the reasons the gods created Xio Voe and Kudorin for each other was that the Empire really is getting too self-interested. They are one of two massively powerful entities, but they only extend the full breadth of their focus to their own citizens. Of course they do good things with others, as we've learned, but they aren't proactive outside their own borders like Orina Anoris is. I think that needs to change; they have too much to offer humanity to keep it to themselves.
