Page 117 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

“Val?”

He shakes his head.

“Vally?”

“God, no,” he grumbles.

“You’re impossible.”

He lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Can’t you see, Minnie? I wanted you to call me something no one’s ever called me before.” He pauses. “Mine.”

A blush stains my cheeks. Perhaps I am too gullible because I did not realize what the name meant from the beginning, but now that I know… I cannotunknowit. And that makes me acutely aware of him as…mine.

“It’s not proper,” I mutter in feigned annoyance. Oh, it is so far removed from proper, I should have seen the red flags from the beginning. Perhaps to a degree I did notwantto see them. And that is my failing that I will have to reckon with at some point.

“When will it be proper then?”

“Only if you were my mate.”

“I will wait then,” he utters with such confidence I’m certain my punch must have addled his mind.

“You might wait forever.” I roll my eyes at him.

“Forever doesn’t seem that long if the prize that awaits me at the end isyou.”

I flush a deeper red. A frisson goes down my back and I cannot prevent my heart from doing a somersault in my chest at hearing his words.

Is it suddenlytoohot in here?

Because I feel rather warm. And fuzzy. And I’m almost certain there are some winged beings flapping around in my stomach.

Oh my, I think I’m about to be sick…

“What about Rìon?” I ask suddenly in an attempt to change the topic—and hope that I will not get sick and embarrass myself further.

He opens his mouth and I know he’s about to rebuke me again, but as the seconds trickle down, no sound comes out.

“That is not a bad nickname,” he eventually accedes. “Though it does not feel my own.”

“I agree. In High Aperite, Rìon means the loyal one. It remains to be seen if you will live up to it.”

The corners of his lips tip up.

“Is that a challenge, Minnie?”

I shrug.

“Is it? I suppose we shall see. You have two months to live up to it.”

“If only you knew…” he muses quietly, shaking his head as a wistful smile pulls at his lips.

“If I knew what?”

“It doesn’t matter. Two months. I will do my best to teach youeverythingabout love.”

“Well, noteverything,” I add in a low voice. Wetting my lips, I continue, “Nothing physical must occur between us. I mean it. You do not realize how strict my world is about chastity. If there is even the smallest doubt that I may have let a male touch me…” I gulp down. “I will not only be shunned, but I may even be imprisoned for it.”

---