Page 71 of Elemental Affections

“Have a moment?” he said, jerking his head in the direction of the housing complex.

It was the closest she’d been to him since the Rhell trip. He looked … strained. There was a tightness to him, and not just in his grip on her arm. The lines at the corners of his eyes were pronounced. Coarse stubble on his face implied he hadn’t shaved for days, and the pallor of skin was undeniable. Dae couldn’t remember ever seeing him look so out of sorts. But it was the end of term, and she had tried to know as little as possible about his studies here. The end of exams could be an explanation for his appearance. Except for his eyes. The hand still on her arm. There was something desperate about him, caged.

“Actually, no. Just came from taking my Adept One exam.” Dae tried to shrug out of his touch. “Brint, let go.”

He held on, voice lowering despite no one being around. It made Dae focus on him by reflex. “I insist. It’s about Calya.”

Cold swept through her, made her go still. She firmly planted her feet. “If something’s wrong with Calya, then tell me now. And let go.”

His grip tightened. “You don’t want me to say it here, Ana.”

“It’s Anadae.” She jerked free, the violence of the motion taking Brint by surprise. “Whatever it is, say it.”

Brint shrugged. “I have a business proposition for you.”

“What— Why is that— What does Calya have to do with—”

“The protection deal between HNE and AG. There’s been a complication, and I’m—”

Whatever alarm she’d felt when he’d first approached vanished as suspicion took its place. Dae’s eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

Brint scoffed. “It doesn’t matter. What I’m doing now is all you need to worry about.”

No chance of that. Dae let out a short, disdainful laugh. “If you fucked up, then I really should talk to Calya.”

“She doesn’t know yet, because I’m trying to save her precious job.” Brint’s lip curled. “Calya only finds out if the Coalition does, and then the papers do, and everyone gets our ugly, highly public mess.”

The Coalition of Trade held power equal to Graelynd’s Lower Council, and they wielded it with an iron fist. Upsetting them was never a quiet affair.

“Sounds like you’ve caused plenty of damage,” Dae said. “What do you expect me to be able to do about it?”

“Marry me. One year, and then we have an amicable split.”

Dae’s mouth fell open. She blinked at him, agog, but Brint looked … serious. “What?” she said, voice loud with shock.

“Keep your voice down,” Brint snarled. “Look, I’ve been trying to ease you into this, but we’re past that. This is just business. We say we reconnected up here. We were engaged forever, anyway, so no point having a delay again.”

“Why would I ever do that?”

“Because otherwise, my failure falls on Calya.” Brint pitched his voice up. “Young, ambitious Calya Helm, going after too many projects for such an inexperienced girl to handle. Did you hear, she wants to take over the company! Botching a big joint effort with Avenor Guard sure doesn’t sound like leadership quality. Too impatient, and it cost them tens of thousands of gold crowns!” He smirked, tone returning to normal. “I can see the headlines now.”

“Calya will have documentation,” Dae said. “If it’s your mistake, then the paperwork will prove it.”

“Will it?” Brint cocked his head to the side. “Calya did the final signoff on everything for this, including the budget. Insisted on it. If I was a bit late, if some of my numbers changed at the last minute…” Brint shrugged again, a sly curve to his lips.

All the delays, Calya’s repeated trips to Sylveren. The trustee their father had appointed to judge Calya’s preparedness, her fitness as a successor…

“You pathetic bastard,” Dae said.

Brint spread his arms wide as he leered at her. “It’ll be embarrassing for me, but I’ll hang it around Calya’s neck. I’m Brint Avenor, sweetheart. Who do you think the public will believe?”

Brint, with his godsdamned charm and his aristocratic family. He was probably right; his actions would garner no more than a slap on the wrist. Avenor Guard would be fine, his family’s political standing none the worse for wear. Helm Naval could weather such losses and inevitable fines from the Coalition, too. But Calya?

“I want to avoid this. Some of my investment contacts up here are a bit, ah, shall we say, skeptical of my claims. But if I have the elder, responsible Helm daughter? And your father to lend support?” Brint gave her an imploring smile, his manner changing on the spot. “One year, that’s all I’m asking, Ana. Do it for your sister.”

A year. She’d seen how quickly one could pass. If it could spare Calya, it had to be considered, didn’t it? And maybe Dae could keep a closer eye on Brint. He couldn’t get them into more trouble if she inserted herself more into the business dealings. She could use the optics of their marriage if Brint balked. A year wasn’t so much if it was for her—

Except, no. Dae would do it for Calya.Dae.Not Brint. Selfish, asshole extraordinaire Brint Avenor didn’t care about Calya. Wouldn’t shackle himself to Dae for her.

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