Page 32 of Minotaurs and other Magic

“Then let’s not talk of it again.” He stared at his lover. “Wait…do the others want me gone?”

“No one wants you gone. My brother asked if I am going to make my claim official or if you will be moving out.”

“Official?”

“With your debt paid, you are no longer under my protection. You will be free to leave?—”

“I don’t want to leave.” This was one of those laws that split hairs and had specific requirements. He was protected by Rohan because he owed Rohan—the reasoning being that someone hadto be alive to repay their debt, and if the debtor died, it was a bad look for the person holding the debt. Someone had clearly done something to result in protection becoming part of the laws. “I love you.”

There was a tingle on his tongue as magic caught in his words. He’d been wanting to say it for a while but had never been sure of the timing, so he’d bitten his tongue, hoping that Rohan would say it first. Sometimes, it seemed he was about to; they’d look at each other, and Nate’s heart would grow light, but the silence remained.

“I love you, too.” Rohan smiled.

Nate frowned. “Do you?”

“Did you not feel the magic?”

“Just then?”

“All the other times. When I called you mine. When I felt you in my heart.” Rohan placed his hand over Nate’s heart. “I didn’t need you to say it.”

“I needed the words. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to mess it up, and magic is… Sometimes, it’s there, and sometimes, it’s not.”

“Magic is always there. Sometimes, you try too hard to find it. Magic brought you to me. You were mine from the moment I saw you. I love you. And we will wed, and I will change this…” He touched the leather collar. “To something finer and more suited to a prince’s consort.”

There was that little reminder that Rohan was a prince with responsibilities to his brother, to the city, and to his people. That is what he’d be marrying into.

Nate nodded. “I think rings are more traditional.”

Rohan touched the end of Nate’s nose. “Yours is too dainty to get a ring through.”

Nate smiled and lifted his hand. “On my finger.”

“You will get a city ring like mine.” Rohan wore a gold ring decorated with the city’s knotwork.

“I meant a wedding ring.” Which, from Rohan’s puzzled expression, was not something they had in Calla. “That’s not what you do here?”

“Is it important that you have one? If it is, you will need to describe it to me.”

Nate considered him for a moment. He didn’t need a wedding ring, but he had gotten used to the weight around his neck and the way Rohan sometimes attached the leash and tied him to the bed. “I would rather wear your collar.”

“Then I will have the jeweler create one.” He tapped between Nate’s collarbones. “With a ruby calla hanging from the center.”

Nate smiled, trying to imagine wearing such a thing. “Will a wedding satisfy everyone or cause more trouble?”

“My brother will be most pleased that you are staying. He already has other cities asking to visit for your lessons. He has been holding them off until…”

“He wanted you to formalize your claim so they couldn’t woo me away.” Nate laughed and leaned in and kissed him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“They might offer you jewels.”

Nate shook his head. “I don’t want them.”

“Elvish princes.”

“Not interested.”

“A pack of werewolves to serve you.”

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