I could watch Demetri read on that hammock for decades. Kai sighed to himself, standing just far enough away that Demetri wouldn't sense himself being watched. He looked so peaceful, with the way his long black hair hung over the side of the hammock, swaying in the wind. His tall, lithe body lay stretched out, only moving to lift his hand to turn the pages of his book. Kai noticed the paleness of his skin had gradually darkened since their journey began. He wasn't sure if it was the newly tanned skin or the fact that he was off limits that made him want him that much more. 

Cormac and Theo, his father’s most trusted babysitters, puffed their muscled chests out and moved in front to block his view of Demetri. They crossed their arms in front of them, daring Kai to argue.

To Kai’s utter dismay, he found they had an unwavering loyalty to his father and the king’s plans for Kai’s future. Protect Kai from harm and keep him from getting close to anyone, that was their orders. They had been furious when they heard Demetri spent last night with Kai. They threatened to throw Demetri overboard, until he pointed out they’d have to tell his father they had left Kai sick and alone to go play cards, if they wanted to explain why Demetri even had access to his room.

Kai growled at them for intruding when he was simply looking at Demetri. He pushed past their suffocating body-wall and retired to his room for the evening. He had tried to find a way to see him for months, and now that he was right down the damn hall, Demetri was still out of reach. Kai grumbled into his pillow, and was pleasantly surprised when he realized it still smelled of him. He groaned and rolled away, still furious at himself for being ill on the only night he got Demetri in his room--on his bed even.

Demetri had acted so sweet, caring for him when he was sick like that. He wondered if he would regret caring for him, once he learned what he had to do. Kai had been too exhausted to thank him properly last night. Heat rose through his body as he recalled waking to Demetri’s arm around him.

He had dressed quietly, not wanting to wake Demetri from his peaceful dreams. Kai lightly moved the long strands from his face and kissed Demetri’s forehead before leaving, knowing he wouldn’t get the chance to be close to him again anytime soon.

The first night aboard the ship Demetri had been there in his room. Kai had been trying to think of ways to tell him they couldn’t be together for months, but when he finally got him there, alone, he just couldn’t stop himself from kissing him. He had never meant to confuse or hurt him by asking him to leave, but Demetri wanted answers that Kai wasn’t ready to give.

Kai watched Demetri for days before he bumped into his friend Tommy. It was easy to lead the conversation so Tommy would think it was his own brilliant idea to set them up on a date. Kai felt like a stalker, but he’d been assigned to survey all possible candidates for their voyage and he could see Demetri was different from the rest. His character wasn’t able to be determined just by watching him for a few hours, aside from his obsession with Princess Talia, and his love for books, the rest of him was a mystery Kai wanted to unravel.

He needed to know more. Needed to meet him. He only planned to talk with him at the restaurant, but hadn’t expected Demetri to stare into his eyes like he was the only thing in existence. Nor had he planned for the magnetic pull they seem to have around each other.

No one had ever been allowed to touch him. Kai kissed a girl once when he was a child, and it was at that time he realized it wasn’t girls he had any interest in. His father was still furious with him for it and sent the girl and her family out of the city, saying Kai should know his place and that he was far too special to be with just anyone. So when Demetri leaned in, staring deep into his eyes, he was helpless but to sink into them. Kai never wanted the feeling of Demetri’s lips on his own to end.

Returning to Kesh, that next morning, after spending an amazingly unexpected evening together, was harder than he’d thought it’d be. He woke up early and left a note, knowing it was a cowardly thing to do, but he didn’t want to chance Demetri asking questions. Kai could never lie well.

He reported the crew he had picked out to his father, Kalen, which he approved dismissively. Kalen hated that Kai had talked him into letting him lead this mission. Kalen liked having him close by, hidden and unharmed, but agreed that Kai should take part in waking Talia. He said it would take a few months to get the ship ready and to handle communications to Montauk, so Kai had to sit and wait patiently.

“While in Montauk your first priority is to find a way to awaken the princess. Your second is to assure their leader that if they don’t stop destroying our world, we will remove them from it.” Kalen told him, as though he hadn’t heard it a thousand times before.

“Yes Father. I understand”

“You must make Athlone think the cure is our cover story.”

“Yes Father.” Kai said, getting more annoyed.

“And when you return…”

“Enough!” Kai yelled, slamming his fist against the table. “I know my task and have already agreed. I will not hear of this again.” He pushed his chair back, it screeched as it slid across the floor. As he started to leave the room he heard Kalen speak out, calmly.

“You are the only one who can fix this world. I would not force this on you if there were another way. Please son, you must understand,” Kalen pleaded.