Page 29 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

“Thank you for interrupting me, Perian.”

“Bursting into your hidden location and trying to steal your brother’s seat, you mean?” he teased.

The amusement flickered out of her eyes, but Renny managed a smile. “Yes, that.”

“I didn’t mean—” he began, though he didn’t know how he’d misstepped.

She patted his arm. “No, it’s fine. But I should probably head back inside before they think I’ve gone missing.”

Perian could only nod, sit up, and gather the remnants of the food. They’d made their way through quite a lot of it, and Perian was sure Renny looked better now than when he’d first found her. He was extra glad to be here if her brother had failed her.

Perian rose to his feet and offered his hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, Renny allowed herself to be pulled upright. His coat slipped, but he caught it and put it round her shoulders so that it would stay on while she was standing.

“You’ll need it back,” she told him.

“You still look cold,” Perian told her. “Keep it. I can get it back tomorrow.”

She hesitated again, and then she nodded, pulling it closer around her. It was comically large on her, but at least that meant it would keep more of her warm. Perian picked up the basket.

“It was nice to meet you, Renny.”

“And you, Perian. Thank you.”

“Tomorrow?” Perian asked, just to make sure.

“Tomorrow,” Renny agreed. She went to sit down on the bench. “I’m just going to sit out here for a few more minutes.”

“I can stay…?” he offered.

But she shook her head. “I’m fine.” Then her lips tipped up with what looked like real amusement. “Really fine.”

He could only grin at her. “I’m glad. I’m really fine, too. I’ll see you tomorrow, Renny.”

She nodded, and Perian retraced his steps, carefully climbing through the bush and then making his way back to the regular path. He wondered what Renny was hiding from.

Chapter Six

Perianmadehiswayback inside, and he went to deliver the basket back to the kitchen and to thank the staff for the delicious food. It was early afternoon now, and after thinking about it for a few minutes, Perian decided to head to the Mage Warrior section after all. Even if he ran into Brannal now, it would be clear he hadn’t followed him. Around this time yesterday, the Mage Warriors had been active in their practice. Perian had no idea if their daily schedule was the same, but this was the easiest way to find out.

It turned out theywerepracticing in the same large room Brannal had shown him the day before. There was a handful of novices and three instructors. Molun was there and made introductions. Tinnadal was one of the instructors Brannal had mentioned yesterday. The beads in her strawberry blond hair said that she identified as female today, but with two of them indicating female and one non-binary, Perian suspected she was gender-fluid. (That was what it had meant for one of the staff who cleaned for him and his father, anyway.)

There was also Delana. She was a couple inches shorter than Perian but also looked like she could easily take him in a fight. She had a long, straight nose, a pointed chin, and chestnut brown hair that was pulled back in a no-nonsense braid, her square beads small and discreet, almost blending in with her hair. Her eyes were piercing, a mix of blue and green.

“Are we a tourist attraction now?” she inquired.

It wasn’t asked with the withering scorn Cormal would have used, but it didn’t exactly seem welcoming.

Molun practically skipped over and looped his arm through Perian’s, tugging him over.

“Perian is going to help us out, isn’t he?”

Perian was not at all sure this was the best idea, but it was probably better than being a tourist or being kicked out, right?

He eyed Molun. “Youareaware I am neither a Mage nor a Warrior, right?”

Molun grinned a grin that Perian absolutely did not trust.

“You don’t need to be either!”

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