Page 70 of Lord of Dance and Desire

Yes, he was right. Con was the one who did most of the cooking and if Con came, Mathen was definitely coming. And was I really going to squeeze three Fae warriors in whatever tiny apartment I managed to afford downtown? We still hadn’t worked out the whole patronship thingy.

“If I took an apartment downtown, I’d need a patron. Would you have a problem with that?” I asked.

The High Lord gave me one of his sweet-disguising-teeth smiles. “Not if you don’t have a problem with their body decorating the District square come morning. If I allow them to live even that long, my darling.”

“That’s about what I thought.” No. . .the better option was to stay, but establish some firmer boundaries.

Andrei sighed. “You were right. And my mother was right?—”

“Of course you talked to your mother.”

“She is wise, and old. Of course I spoke with her.” He glared at me. “To whom else would you have me go for counsel?”

The wordsmama's boyflitted through my mind, but that wasn't entirely fair. Though if she hadn't liked me, this situation could have been so much worse.

After a moment, I nodded. “So you talked to your mother. She smacked some sense into you.”

“She offered her counsel,” was the chilly correction. “Which I accepted, as I’m not a faeling to ignore the High Lord when she chooses to give free advice. Usually it costs me.” He paused, most of the chill fading under sheepishness. “The last several weeks have been. . .educational.”

“So you’ll let me move out, and you won’t hound my steps? I can have a career in Casakraine and you won’t interfere? If I don’t want anything to do with your life at all, I can walk away, without being kicked out of the city?”

Stony silence.

“Is there a ticking time bomb on this choice?” I asked sweetly. “Do I have to decide now?”

“No. It’s open ended. I’d prefer you not dangle it over my head like a stick for bad behavior.”

“I have other sticks.” I chewed my bottom lip, some of the heaviness in my chest easing. “And I don’t need guards?—”

“Really?”

“All right.” I paused. “If I live with you, will you please stop rearranging my wardrobe? Stop monitoring my macros? Stop swapping my low carb imports for junk food?”

He opened his mouth, shut it. Gathered his outrage and settled it around his shoulders like a cloak of fluffy feathers. “You’re going too far, Hasannah.”

“I was just checking.” I held his gaze. “I can walk out anytime I want. Leave you. Whether to get my own place in Casakraine, or return to Earth realm, and you won’t hunt me down and kill me.”

He closed his eyes. “Yes. I won’t hurt or kill you if you try to leave me.” The words were strangled, but he said them, so they had to be at least some version of truth.

“Why the epiphany?”

Andrei began to swear. He carried on for some time, the hypocrite, then calmed. “I loathe tests. I haven’t been in a classroom for some time, and I was a poor student anyway.”

I folded my arms. “You probably couldn’t sit still. And I bet Con was the one who taught you all the tricks to annoy the teacher.”

“Fine.Fine,Anah.” He abandoned his still pose and began walking around me in a circle, hands clasped behind his back. “Most of the indignities you claim you suffer?—”

“Like the all silk underwear drawer? Infiltrating the Arts with spies whose sole purpose is to report on who’s been a meanie to me today?”

“—I would kill Con if he attempted. And I certainly wouldn’t let my mother oversee my activity calendar.”

“You did that too? Andrei. Aren’t you the one who thinks he isn’t clingy, and doesn’t want a clingy mate? I don’t understand how you all get away with lying to yourselves. How is it not against the fairy rules?”

He paused in front of me, sneered, then resumed his circling. “There are rules you must follow. Boundaries you can’t cross. But I never gave you the choice whether or not to accept me as a mate.”

Andrei stopped again, looking down at me. “I took you, and I seduced you into acquiescing to my will. I took advantage of your weakness. I. . .regret any distress I caused you.”

Which wasn’t an “I’m sorry.” Because he wasn’t. But, realistically, this was probably the best I was going to get.

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