Page 50 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

She nodded. While she did still look tired, he thought she looked better than she had earlier, even with the bit of running around. He wondered if whatever she had done the night before had been draining. Still too early to talk to her mother? Renny had herself mentioned that she was sick, so Perian didn’t really want to stumble in and accuse anyone of being a bad parent if Renny’s illness was actually being managed as well as it could be. With no information, it was altogether possibly this was the best-case scenario.

And it felt like they were getting to know one another better, were sharing more personal information. Maybe tomorrow, Perian could ask a little more. Speaking of—

“Lunch tomorrow?” he asked hopefully.

She beamed at him, a bright smile full of hope and happiness that made him wish he had a magical cure so that she felt better all the time. But if even the Mage Warriors couldn’t do it, Perian definitely didn’t stand a chance.

“Same time, same place,” Renny told him with satisfaction.

Perian gathered up the remains of the food, folded up the blankets after remembering to shake them out completely this time, and made his way back to the kitchen to drop off the basket.

The same woman from earlier took it back. She was a little plump, with honey blond hair and warm brown eyes.

“Assignation not a total loss?” she asked.

Oh, good, apparently, he was now actually recognizable as the idiot who had forgotten to pick up the food earlier.

He grinned at her, a bit embarrassed, but it really was his own fault.

“It was a complete success. The food was a highlight, thank you.”

She gave him a weird look but nodded and took back the basket, and it was only once he was back in the hallway that it occurred to him she had probably thought he was having aromanticassignation. Telling her that the food had been one of the best parts wouldn’t have done his reputation any favors. He burst into laughter—and got several weird looks from the people he was passing, but there was likely no hope for him now anyway.

Chapter Ten

Hewasstilllaughingto himself as he got back to Brannal’s rooms.

“You’re in a good mood.”

Brannal was writing at his desk.

Perian went to tuck the blankets out of the way again. “Yeah, I’m doing all right, thank you.”

“You look like you were rolling around on the ground.”

“What?”

Perian looked down at himself, peered at his clothes, and let out a curse, trying to brush at what were surely now stains thanks to showing Renny all those tumbles.

“I didn’t think about the grass and dirt. No wonder I’ve convinced half the castle that I’m the most inept lover who ever existed.”

“Oh?”

Perian waved a hand. “I was in such a rush earlier I forgot to pick up the food for lunch and had to go back for it, and then on the way back, I managed to imply that the food was better than anything else I might have done.”

Brannal made a pained face. “Ouch.”

“Yeah,” Perian said, laughing. “It was a misunderstanding. But it’s not like I could demonstrate how wrong they were.”

An eyebrow rose. “Could you not?”

“Well, no, I mean—” Perian belatedly understood. He tried not to smirk. “Oh, have I jeopardized my reputation with you, too? Do I need to prove myself?”

Brannal’s lips quivered, but he managed to keep a straight face. “You do, rather.”

Perian let out a theatrical sigh. “Well, if I must…”

“You must,” Brannal agreed, firm and dry.

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