Page 15 of Seer Prophet

“We can certainly make something more to your… tastes,” he added, lingering on the last word. “You need only ask, most venerated of friends.”

I tossed my hair back languorously. “Your hospitality is very much appreciated, my brother. I’m afraid I’m simply not thirsty.” I lifted an eyebrow. “Perhaps it’s all the water it took us to get here?”

Dulgar’s eyes slid down me a third time.

“She is exquisite, brother,” the seer murmured, directing his words to Revik. He never took his eyes off me. “You must grow tired of being such an envied man… but brother, she is unique. Her light alone would attract moths from the furthest reaches of our kingdom, I believe. To have such beauty wrapped around that body and face strikes me as a unique kind of torture. That does not even address the perfection of her eyes… or that mouth.”

He gave Revik a distinctly oily smile.

Revik didn’t return it.

Seeing something in Revik’s stare, Dulgar’s expression grew more collegial, right before he leaned back on the leather couch, throwing an arm casually over its back. I noticed he pulled his light off me with an effort, along with his eyes.

I had zero doubt Revik noticed that, too.

“All teasing aside,” Dulgar smiled. “Perhaps she really will prove too much of a distraction for me, my brother? We should release her from our care. The two of us can then talk unhindered and undistracted through the more boring details of business. I am loathe to part with her company, of course… as you are, no doubt, yourself… but I feel quite certain we will bore her, my brother, if we do not allow for her more feminine needs.”

Dulgar looked at me, his lips quirking in a coy smile.

“…That, or we will simply accomplish nothing, in our mutual and competing attempts to impress her. While a time-honored tradition among males, I suspect it will not help us learn those things about one another which might be more to our mutual benefit.”

Dulgar gave Revik another of those oily smiles.

Revik didn’t blink, or take his eyes off the gold-eyed seer.

Even so, I felt a harder pulse ofI told you soin his light.

I managed to keep my reaction off my face, but only just.

As if feeling some element of conflict there, flickering between Revik’s and my lights, the gold-eyed Dulgar smiled shrewdly.

“…Is that part of our arrangement still agreeable to you, brother?” He quirked an eyebrow, his voice unctuously polite. “You must realize, there is a very real security precaution for me, in doing business with seers like yourselves. We cannot risk doing business withanyseer who is not willing to bond with us, at least at a rudimentary level.” That oily smile returned. “I would offer to share my light withyou,good brother, but I’m afraid my tastes run exclusively to those of the feminine persuasion.”

Revik made a dismissive motion with one hand, lips firming.

“We are not there yet, brother,” he said.

I don’t know if Dulgar heard the bite in his voice, but I definitely did.

“…I find myself a little put off by your eagerness,” Revik added, a touch harder. “Do you really find our agreement such a foregone conclusion? Or are the details simply so trivial to you, you would assume them settled before they’ve even been discussed?” Letting his words hang, he added, “What if there is no agreement at all on this day, brother Dulgar? Am I still to feel assured of my wife’s safety, if I were to leave her alone in your care?”

Leaning into the leather, Revik arranged his back on the white sofa, draping an arm around the back of the bench, copying Dulgar’s pose.

The difference was, Revik’s arm hung directly over where I sat.

He didn’t touch me, but the implication was difficult to miss.

Then again, I found the fact that the posture opened his jacket and the neck of his shirt a lot more distracting?but I couldn’t exactly gothere,either.

Revik cleared his throat, motioning at Dulgar with his fingers.

“Do not get too anxious for the payoff,” he warned. His voice remained formally polite, but carried a harder edge. “We are only here to discuss terms tonight. I think your personal interests in this might be clouding your judgment, friend.”

“Can you blame me for that?” The seer winked at me.

“Yes,” Revik growled.

Pausing, he deliberately hammered his words.

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