Marceline's eyes stayed locked on Zaeryn, as he lay on the bed and she sat next to him.
Her hand traced his jaw, with a mix of a lover's caress and an admiration of an artisan. "Zae, 'valuable' doesn't mean 'safe.' It means 'useful.' It means Queens, powerful, ancient, and ruthless Queens, might not see a charming man. They'll see a strategic asset.
The ultimate breeding stock. A weapon they must either control or destroy."
She leaned in, her voice dropping to that conspiratorial purr. "You must become powerful enough to dictate your own terms before they decide to chain you to a throne."
She gave him one last, deep kiss that tasted of promises and politics, "Now, off you go,"
___
Zaeryn found himself back in the quiet sanctuary of his own room, the door sealed.
The exhaustion he expected after such intense sessions with Marceline never came. Instead, the Eros Engine hummed, satisfied and vibrant.
He felt electric.
