Dax's thumb kept tracing slow circles against Chris's jaw, steady enough to feel comforting but intentional enough to make Chris suspicious. That was the thing about Dax, when he sounded calm, it usually meant reality was about to develop fangs.
Chris narrowed his eyes. "You've been thinking. That's never good for me."
"It's good for us," Dax corrected, which was even worse.
"Debatable," Chris muttered.
Dax ignored that completely. "Your relatives are coming here. Into my Capital and Palace. Into a country they don't understand. Into a system that doesn't bend to Palatine titles."
Chris stared at him, expecting something twisted to come out of Dax's mouth. "…So far, this sounds diplomatic. I don't trust it."
"It's not diplomatic," Dax said, lips curving in a slow, dashing smile. "It's strategic."
