Chapter 520: The Steam Between Them

The warm water rippled softly as Zarius didn’t hesitate for another second.

He shed his boots and kicked off his dark socks in two swift motions, unbuttoning his tunic and stripping the heavy wool garment over his head to toss it unceremoniously onto the dry tile floor. Unbuckling his belt, he stepped straight into the sunken marble basin with his dark trousers still clinging to his legs, the heavy wet fabric instantly sticking to his thigh muscles as he sank into the steaming water.

Cherion didn’t even have time to tease him for getting his trousers wet before Zarius reached out, his broad hands locking around Cherion’s waist and hauling him flush against his warm, bare chest.

Zarius leaned down, capturing Cherion’s lips in a deep, hungry kiss.

Cherion let out a soft, muffled sound against Zarius’s mouth, his arms instinctively wrapping around the Grand Duke’s neck. The kiss was slow, hot, and heavy with all the lingering terror Zarius had swallowed down while waiting for Cherion to return. Zarius’s tongue parted Cherion’s lips with pressure, tasting the sweet residue of plum liqueur and warm water, while his rough palms smoothed down Cherion’s wet back, pressing their bodies together until there wasn’t an inch of space left between them.

When Zarius finally pulled back for air, his eyes were heavy, his forehead resting gently against Cherion’s as both of their chests heaved in the humid mist.

“You really couldn’t even take your pants off first?” Cherion teased breathlessly, his hands resting on Zarius’s slick, muscular shoulders, a soft smirk gracing his lips.

“They can dry later,” Zarius muttered in a low, gravelly voice, pressing a tender kiss to the tip of Cherion’s nose before trailing his lips down along Cherion’s jawline to the sensitive skin under his ear. “I wasn’t going to waste time unbuttoning trouser cuffs when you were sitting here looking like that.”

Cherion tilted his head back, letting out a soft sigh as Zarius’s teeth lightly grazed his neck. He relaxed completely into the solid strength holding him upright in the water, letting the soothing heat wash over his limbs.

After a few quiet, intimate minutes of gentle kisses and quiet touches under the surface, Cherion rested his head against Zarius’s chest, listening to the steady, strong thud of his heart beneath his cheek.

“Hey, Zarius?” Cherion asked softly, his fingers idly tracing the dark, fading scars across Zarius’s collarbone.

“Hmm?” Zarius hummed, his large hand gently stroking up and down Cherion’s spine, keeping him anchored against his chest.

“What’s your relationship with Marquess Avery actually like?” Cherion murmured, leaning his chin on Zarius’s chest so he could look up into his face. “I mean politically. Or personally.”

Zarius paused his hand on Cherion’s back, his eyebrows pulling together slightly in mild surprise at the sudden shift in topic. “Marquess Avery? It’s strictly standard noble business. We sit on the same imperial high council committees regarding border logistics, but beyond formal greetings and official correspondence, I don’t pay much personal attention to him. He manages his regional estates, and I manage the military. Why do you ask?”

Cherion hummed softly, his eyes drifting toward the rising steam above the water’s surface. “I don’t know. We had dinner at their estate tonight after everything that happened at the theater. Marchioness Avery was lovely, and Derrick was… well, Derrick. But the Marquess…”

Cherion trailed off, his jaw setting as he recalled the uncomfortable sensation from earlier.

“Did he say something inappropriate to you?” Zarius’s voice instantly hardened, the tender warmth in his tone flattening into a sharp, protective edge. His hand on Cherion’s waist tightened noticeably.

“No, no, nothing like that,” Cherion quickly reassured him, patting Zarius’s chest to keep him grounded. “He was perfectly polite. In fact, he was overwhelmingly hospitable. He brought up your health, of course, asked how you were holding up after the subjugation banquet. I gave him the usual scripted answer about good days and bad days.”

“That’s standard probing for high council members,” Zarius noted quietly, though his eyes remained focused entirely on Cherion. “They are all waiting to see if my health falters so they can adjust their political allegiances.”

“I know,” Cherion nodded, leaning his cheek back against Zarius’s skin. “And Marchioness Avery even scolded him for bringing up heavy court business during dinner. But… it was his smile, Zarius. When he greeted me, and when he said goodbye at the carriage… it just gave me this weird, unnatural vibe.”

Zarius remained quiet for a moment, absorbing Cherion’s words. In the brutal, cutthroat world of capital politics, Cherion’s instincts had proven remarkably sharp time and time again. If a high-ranking noble made Cherion feel uneasy, Zarius wasn’t about to dismiss it as mere paranoia.

“Did he do or say anything else?” Zarius asked, his thumb gently smoothing over Cherion’s shoulder.

“He promised to ensure Heinrich gets severe punishment,” Cherion recalled, picking through the conversation in his mind. “He said he’d personally speak to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow morning to make sure Heinrich never sets foot in the capital again. And right as I was leaving, he asked me to relay his warmest personal greetings to you.”

Zarius let out a low, barely audible hum from the back of his throat. “House Avery has always maintained a carefully neutral stance in the high court. They align with whoever holds the most stability. But if he’s suddenly taking an active interest in a minor crime involving a disgraced noble, or trying to probe your reactions…”

Zarius tightened his arm around Cherion’s waist, pulling him a fraction closer until their bodies were completely merged in the warm water. He leaned down, burying his face into Cherion’s damp collarbone, pressing a firm, lingering kiss against his skin.

“I’ll have Flio keep a quiet eye on the Avery estate’s official correspondence over the next few weeks,” Zarius whispered against Cherion’s warm collarbone, his deep voice vibrating through Cherion’s entire frame. “If there is something hidden behind that smile, we will catch it long before it becomes a problem.”

Cherion smiled softly, feeling a wave of deep, unconditional security settle over his chest. He ran his fingers through Zarius’s thick, dark hair, gently massaging the back of his neck.

“Good,” Cherion murmured softly. “Because I really don’t feel like dealing with another surprise ambush anytime soon.”

“You won’t have to,” Zarius purred, shifting his position in the water until he was looking straight into Cherion’s eyes. The dark, brooding political tension melted away from his face, replaced entirely by that intense, passionate fire reserved strictly for the man in his arms.

Zarius slid his hands down Cherion’s hips beneath the warm water, lifting him slightly as his lips found Cherion’s once again. “Tonight, you don’t have to think about council lords, disgraced nobles, or political games. Just focus on me.”

Cherion let out a quiet, breathless laugh against Zarius’s lips, wrapping his legs around Zarius’s waist beneath the surface, completely surrendering to the soothing heat of the bath and the undeniable warmth of the man holding him tight.