"Handsome."

Jai turned around after hearing the velvet voice of a flirtatious woman. It brought upon a mixture of varying emotions on his face, though his expression stayed neutral. Not one overrode the other, but it frustrated him beyond comprehension. This was the same person who had stopped at nothing to have him to herself - damn any other female who harbored the same thoughts.

Tanya sauntered toward with an air of sophisticated arrogance while maintaining an elegance few could match. Her hips swayed in time with shoulder-length ebony hair, those dark eyes tinged with sauciness accompanied by the same smile.

Her presence made Jai sour as she genuinely disregarded the meaning of boundaries. Not that it dissuaded her in the past. Tanya was the most persistent humanoid he had ever encountered.

"You again..." the young man muttered.

She ignored his dismissal and slithered next to him. "That's no way to greet your beloved, now is it? C'mon, lighten up."

A kiss followed her words that didn't budge Jai despite her lips' softness against his own. The supposed affection could be seen as venom to poison the victim, something Tanya was known for. It felt as though Jai was caught in a no-win scenario as she was the last person he wanted to spend his self-imposed exile with. Her current employers were even less savory.

But what choice did he have?

Edenia had turned on him for crimes he wouldn't dare commit, let alone dream of doing. Murders of young and old citizens alike were placed on his head, and no one within the land believed Jai's account of those unfortunate events. The people, some of his classmates, nor a few of his friends granted him a semblance of reprieve.

The benefit of the doubt was stripped from him... by his closest friend.

"How did the meeting with Daegon go?" Tanya spoke coyly. "He knows of your current plight and wishes to make better use of your talents than Jerrod or Sindel did."

"I see you have a vested interest in this. I wonder if you planted a little bug in his ear for an added effect."

"You know me so well, darling. How else can I ensure you stay on the side that appreciates you better than they ever will?"

Tanya guided him into her private quarters, prompting him to sit on the edge as she sat in his lap, arms around his shoulders. "They were quick to burn every bridge with you for something out of your control. That doesn't seem fair at all. Jerrod himself even contemplated execution had we not broken you out during the trial."

Jai eyed her cautiously. "Much to my good fortune, I suppose."

She showed a mock pout. "Aw, don't be so modest, Jai." We were more than eager to cause mayhem. What we weren't counting on was for you to end up in Outworld in that commoner's village."

Staying with Li Mei and her people wasn't the worse thing to happen. Jai enjoyed every moment with them, opposing Kotal Kahn for his brutal practices concerning taxes and similar favors. Laughs and good times were shared amid the difficult circumstances surrounding their guest. Jai knew in the back of his mind that he was a fugitive no matter where he fled. Edenia and Outworld's rulers hunted him for differing reasons and would catch him no matter the cost.

"What troubles you?" Tanya palmed his face to get Jai's eyes to focus on her. "Might it be what we did the past two nights?"

Shudders rocked Jai at the mention of their secret rendezvous. The way Tanya had goaded him into her bed for what could only be described as spontaneous, uninhibited sex without much effort upended everything he believed in. His mind screamed in defiance to not conduct himself in this manner, to not allow her wiles to overpower his restraint.

His flesh had other carnal ideas.

It would've been foolish on Jai's part to deny that Tanya was pleasing to the eye and even better between the sheets. A dark complexion mirrored his with a figure any man would commit heinous atrocities to lay with at night. Of course, the former ambassador wasn't shy about having sexual relations with no preference for either gender. So long as they could live up to her lofty standards. Jai had managed to exceed Tanya's expectations with ease. Still, he often wondered if she sincerely cared for him or if this was all a ploy to throw into her main adversary's face.

Neither option was out of the possibility.

Jai took a mere glance at his bedmate. "Nothing."

"Don't take me for a fool, Jai. You should know better than to deceive me."

"What does it matter? It's unimportant."

"I say it is when you won't even look me in the eye." Tanya grew impatient with his demeanor though she had tolerated it due to his new environment. "Are my techniques not arousing enough for your liking?"

A roll of the eyes was Jai's response. "Not my words. "I'm just thinking..."

"Obviously. Hmm... perhaps it's about that green harpy."

"Hmph. Your ego is truly astounding. You scowl with contempt when someone even mentions her name."

"Yet here you are fantasizing about Jade rather than ravage me!" Tanya shouted as she jumped out of his lap. "Do you remember what she did to you, Jai? Took you into custody for crimes she couldn't prove that you were the perpetrator? Lied about protecting you? Even hunting you down throughout Outworld?"

"And why does it matter to you!?" Jai snapped, rising up with visible anger as he towered over her. "I made it clear that I hated what she had done to me!"

"But not hating her! What I don't understand is why! you claim to hate Jade for what she's done, yet she plagues your every-" Tanya paused, a realization coming over her. "You still care for that bitch, don't you?"

Jai couldn't hide his disbelief. "None of your business."

Tanya lit both her palms on fire. "Answer me, Jai!"

"If it makes you happy, yes. I still do... even after everything. Wait..." Jai went silent before pointing his finger at her. "You... you, Rain, and Daegon. It all makes sense now." The fury burned in his gaze. "YOU SET ME UP FOR THOSE MURDERS, YOU WITCH!"

The pyromancer's eyes widened in surprise as Jai figured out the plot that cost damn near his entire life. Now that the truth was revealed, there was only one thing for him to do.

Flee.