Page 50 of Ogres Don't Play

What was I supposed to say to that? You’re more stunning? “Welcome to Singsong City’s music hall, Balry. Or is it Mr. Balry?”

He gave me a sharp smile. Literally sharp. Those fangs… “You can call me absolutely anything you’d like, my dear.” He turned us towards the door, tucking my arm in his like he owned it. “Now tell me all about yourself. How did a sweet angel get involved with Rook? He seduced you with his music, or was it the instruments?”

I frowned at him as we reached the front doors. “I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but I’m hardly involved with Rook.” I stepped through, trying to disengage him, but I would have had to throat punch him to get him to release me. Even then, he was a vampire and might consider it affectionate.

“Didn’t he repair the organ?” he asked as we stepped inside the front hall, glancing up at the intricate sculptures that had been in horrible shape a few weeks ago.

“I paid him a very large bag of gold.” Cursed gold, but this guy didn’t need to know that.

Lanise snorted behind me.

The touchy-feely vamp gave me another stunned look, shifting his attention from the elaborate stonework to me. “He took money? I’ve been trying to hire him for decades. Claims he doesn’t work for money.”

“It was more involved than that. Politics, you know.”

“Politics? Ah, his cause that places ogres in various levels of society? When he first spoke to me about his dream, I found it as ridiculous as everyone else. But now ogres are the most elite bodyguards, with more discipline than any other infernal creature, including vampires.”

“They’re much more than bodyguards. Their stonework is absolute perfection.” I gestured at the arch above as we walkeddown the broad hall that led towards the organ hall. The music hall had too many halls.

He gave me a flirty look. “It’s his stonework that you admire? Hm? I can’t remember a musician that didn’t try to woo Rook the Luthier over the years. He’s simply stunning.”

This conversation was so uncomfortable. Did he have any idea how rude he was being? Probably. Lucky that I’d grown up with Rich, so I understood people pushing your buttons just to watch you snap.

“Are you personally interested in Rook? Perhaps he’d enjoy your company. From what I understand, he makes a habit of running from females. Perhaps you’d be more his speed.”

Lanise growled behind me, and Balry gave me an amused glance. “From what I understand, he’s stopped running.”

We reached the door to the organ hall. Tiago should be here at the door to greet and seat the guests. Tiago was a master at directing people, and I seriously needed some help getting this vampire off my arm. The door opened and there was Rook the Luthier in a tuxedo that fit his broad shoulders to perfection.

He met Balry’s eyes and gave the vampire a slight smile. “You’ve arrived. Lanise will escort you to the organ. I will take the Music Master.”

Balry covered my hand with both of his. “You will take her? Just like that?”

Rook smiled, baring his pretty tusks. “Yes. I could rip off your arms, but that would interfere with your concert.”

Balry finally released me and took a step away from me. “That would be a pity, since that’s the only reason why I’m here.” He blinked vacuously at Rook.

Rook’s smile vanished. “Indeed. You will come to the shop after the concert.”

Balry rubbed his hands together. “Good, good. In that case, you’re about to hear the finest performance in the world.”

“Doubtful. Mirabel graced me with the finest concert I’ve ever dreamed of. I doubt anything else will come close to its exquisite perfection.”

I stood there, feeling awkward about being talked about in the third person, particularly that kind of thing. Was he going to tell the vampire that I’d played his heart song, too? Also, that he was betrothed to a troll?

Balry glanced at me, an expression of actual interest in his eyes. “You managed to impress Rook? He’s notoriously difficult, doubtless from all the time he spent with snobbish elves. You know, he actually spent time with Luthiel Sla… You wouldn’t know someone that old and archaic.”

“She would. She played his Dirge for Malevolence. It was more than the composer ever wished for.”

I grabbed Rook’s arm. This was too much. “You flatter me. Don’t listen to Rook, he exaggerates. I am anticipating your performance with all my heart. Is the audience seated?” I looked at the doors and beamed all around. “Then we should begin. Lanise, please escort Mr. Balry to his place.”

Lanise took his arm, like he’d taken mine, and dragged him further down the hall so he could enter from the side, leaving me alone with Rook the Luthier for the first time since that awful proposal.

I started for the doors to find my seat, but he barred it with his arm. I stared at that arm for a long time before I finally followed it to his shoulder, neck, chin, tusks, straight nose, and finally up to those concerned eyes.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I’ve been busy.”

---