Page 68 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

She shook her head. “He can’t touch anything.”

“So, I could actually sit in the same place as him?”

"He says it feels weird. Not like he’s being squished or anything, just weird, like something’s passing through him, all shivery.”

Perian made a face. That didn’t sound very pleasant.

“You like to include him,” Perian said, gesturing at the empty spot.

“He’s been trapped for six years, unable to talk to anyone but his little sister. Of course I try to include him.”

And that was not, at all, what Perian would expect someone to say about their imaginary friend, although he supposed that maybe it was different if an imaginary friend was formed out of a trauma.

Renny made a face. “Shut up,” she said, and then, “I love you too.”

Since Perian hadn’t said anything, he assumed that was addressed to her brother, who appeared to have something to say about the idea that he was trapped with Renny. Perian liked him already. Or this side of Renny. Either way, it was protective.

“Did you really climb out the window to get here?” he asked.

She cracked a mischievous grin. “I get dizzy spells—of course I didn’t. I just had Kee run look out and sneaked away when the coast was clear. There’s a locked side door through the connecting room where the nanny used to live. There’s a tapestry in front of it now. I have the key. And I know how to oil hinges.”

“So why did you tell everyone—?”

She looked at him like he was stupid. “So they knew how serious I was about this, of course. Plus, this way, they worry more about what I might do if they tried to forbid me from doing what I want.”

And Perian could only laugh. “Clever.”

“Thank you,” she said with a satisfied grin.

Perian pondered for a moment. “Is it weird if I ask your brother questions? Or would you rather I not say anything? You’d have to relay all his answers, and that might be annoying. But it feels weird now that I know he’s here.”

Renny smiled at him, her eyes lighting up. “You can definitely ask him questions.” She tilted her head to one side and listened for a moment before saying, “He’d like to remind you that he’s been getting my education for the last six years, so he might be a little behind.”

“Completely understood,” Perian said readily. “I promise there will be no educational quizzes, in part because that would leave me open to the possibility of reciprocal quizzes, and it’s been a while.”

Renny grinned at him. “Are you getting stupider?”

Perian laughed. “I think it’s distinctly possible, but I choose to live in ignorance.”

She nodded like this was a very sensible life choice on his part.

Sheepishly, Perian admitted, “And now that I’ve brought it up, I can’t figure out what questions are appropriate to ask of someone who’s been trapped for the last six years unseen and unheard by almost anyone. Uh, do you sleep?”

Renny was silent for a moment. “He usually sleeps when I do, though he doesn’t have to. Since he can’t go far, he says it’s easier to try to align our schedules.”

“That makes sense.”

He was very glad to hear that the Prince had not spent the last six years unable to eat, drink, talk to almost anyone,orsleep. At least he got a bit of a break.

Renny had already told him that her brother could yell and yell and no one else could hear him. If Perian believed this, then the Prince was giving answers right now when Perian asked questions. The hesitations and occasions that he’d heard Renny speaking when no one else was there also made a lot of sense.

Of course, none of it was definitive proof that Renny wasn’t just making it all up, but it was at least obvious to him that she genuinely believed what she was saying.

“Do you get to change clothes?” Perian asked curiously.

“Usually not deliberately. They’ve been getting bigger as he’s been getting bigger, though.”

“He’s—sorry, you’re—getting bigger?”

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