Page 56 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

He imagined this was a lot like waiting for a prison sentence. Perian had no idea how long it would take, and he had no idea if anyone was defending him, apart from a twelve-year-old, and he could only imagine what Cormal was saying about what had happened. Truly, Perian didn’t think the basket of food could have done much more than startle him, but Perian would certainly be willing to take the blame if it meant Rennydidn’t.

He sat up straight. He hadn’t thought of that. Was there a chance Renny was going to get in trouble for hurting Cormal? Perian would be willing to tell anyone who would listen that she had only been defending herself, and it had been Cormal who had started everything. Oh, should he tell someone that? But Brannal had told him to stay right here.

He was still stewing when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” he called gratefully.

Nisal popped their head in, and when they saw him, they entered. They were followed by Delana and Arvus, and the latter was carrying a tea tray.

“We thought we’d better see how you were doing,” Nisal said.

“And we thought you might be hungry,” Arvus added, setting the tray down on the table.

“Oh, I don’t think….” Perian began.

“When’s the last time you ate?” Arvus asked practically.

Perian had to really stop and think about it. “I ate lunch yesterday?”

Nisal’s eyes widened, and Arvus gave a nod. “That’s what I thought. Come and eat.”

Perian thought about protesting, but it seemed like more work to try to refuse all of them than to simply give in. He could choke down a bite or two, probably.

They all sat down with him, and after he’d selected a couple squares of sandwiches, he watched as Delana matter-of-factly put three more and a biscuit on his plate.

Yeah. What had he been thinking with this group of people?

Arvus poured the tea.

“Listen,” Perian told them earnestly. “Brannal asked me to come straight back here, so I did, but I want to make sure that if Cormal is complaining about, uh, anything, that it was all my fault. All right? Renny didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Agreed,” Delana said firmly, though there was a quirk to her lips that told him she was amused. “As it was relayed to me, she did everything quite right to get out of the grasp of a man who was holding her against her will.”

Nisal and Arvus snorted with laughter, and Perian groaned.

“I’m not disagreeing with you. I mean, Cormal was truly out of line, and I believe Renny did exactly the right thing. But I don’t want her to get in any trouble. I’m willing to take all the blame. I know Cormal has a temper, and he already doesn’t like me, so I’m just saying—”

Nisal laid their hand on his arm. “We understand what you’re saying, Perian. But you don’t need to take responsibility for any actions except your own.”

“Iwasthe one who taught her—” Perian began.

“Yes!” Nisal exclaimed, and held out their other hand.

Delana let out a long-suffering sigh and pulled out a coin and gave it to Nisal.

“I knew it was you,” they crowed with triumph.

Perian eyed the two of them. “You were betting on this?”

Delana looked put out. “You’ve only been here for a few days, I didn’t think you’d’ve had time—”

Arvus gestured at the blankets in the corner of the room. “That’s what the blankets were for, I take it?”

Perian blinked at him. “The blankets were actually for the picnics. I showed her the defense on the grass, which wasn’t my best thought-out plan, actually. Ended up with grass stains and dirt everywhere.”

They all exchanged a look which Perian couldn’t quite interpret.

“Everything’s going to be all right,” Arvus told him gently. “Molun is with the others.”

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