Page 74 of Sun Elves of Ardani

“Why not?”

“Humor me.”

She realized, with some embarrassment, that there was very little that she did purely for fun, which she guessed was precisely what he was pointing out. “I like going drinking with Roshan.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Is that all?”

She thought. “I… liked playing cards with Thala and Novikke, when they were around.”

“That was five years ago, Kadaki.”

She frowned. “All right, fine. I guess there isn’t much I do for fun, aside from reading.”

“Exactly my point.”

“What do you do, then?”

“I’m so glad you asked. I enjoy swimming, horseback riding, window shopping, sunbathing, oracle—”

“You play oracle?”

“When I can find an opponent. I’ve been undefeated for the past year and a half, and now no one wants to play against me.”

“You’re bragging.”

“Why not? It’s the truth. Do you play? I thought I saw a board in here the other day.”

She did, but she wasn’t keen on playing against him. “I don’t like those kinds of games.”

He smiled. “You mean you’re afraid of losing.”

She hated that he could guess her thoughts so accurately. “I’m certain I’m not as skilled as you,” she admitted. “It wouldn’t be fun for either of us.”

“There are other activities. Ones where neither of us has to lose,” he said. He brought a hand to her neck, brushing a lock of hair off her shoulder. She felt her skin prickle as he touched her. “I also enjoy making love, for example.”

He thought he was being smooth. Trying to throw him off, she asked, “To who?”

His hand paused on her. “Pardon?”

“Who do you like making love to?”

He looked taken aback by the question. “Well, no one, recently.”

She felt a small weight lift off her. She was surprised at how relieved she was to know he was not sleeping with anyone else. Not that it would have been any of her business if he had been. “The people in town say that the Ysurans have a different partner each night, sometimes even several at once. It’s said they rarely go a single day without someone sharing their bed.”

“Do you believe that?” he said evenly, giving nothing away.

She thought about it. “It’s clear that your people enjoy each other’s bodies more freely than Ardanians do. Perhaps that’s not a bad thing.”

He hummed noncommittally.

“But I suppose there’s nothing you can say that will be true for every single one of you.”

“You are surprisingly open-minded for an Ardanian. I suspect the people in town are eager to spread those stories because they’re eager for more reasons to hate us.”

“Perhaps. I hate Ysurans because of what they’ve done to Ardani, not because of their sexual habits.”

“Ah,” he sighed, bitterly amused. “Thank you for reminding me.”

---