Page 99 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

“Ha!” Perian said. “Now you have to tell me!”

“It was only once,” Brannal said, the tips of his ears turning red. “There was too much alcohol involved. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t… right, either, if that makes any sense.”

“Better as friends?” Perian said, smirking a little.

“Better as friends,” Brannal agreed, shrugging. “They really are my closest friends, and we all find one another attractive, but I am not the third they’re looking for.”

“You’re not going to hear me complaining,” Perian said emphatically. “That means more of you for me.”

This made Brannal grin. “Oh, yes, I do seem to remember someone saying recently that there was going to be sex this morning. It was practically ademand.”

“You’re so right,” Perian agreed cheerfully. “Did you see the state you left me in in the water closet? Disgraceful. I didn’t take you for a tease.”

Brannal only grinned wider. “Oh, I always follow through. That’s a promise.”

This promise led all the way back to the bed, but paused when they realized Perian’s arm wasstillunbandaged. Brannal carefully wrapped it, and then sexy times resumed. (Seriously, Perian maybe had a problem. Even the bandage-wrapping was sexy when Brannal did it.) Making out in the bed was probably a more thorough experience than they would have had in the water closet, so Perian wouldn’t complain too much about Molun’s interruption.

Eventually, they got out of bed again, cleaned up once more, and got dressed. Since stretching his arm up and bending his elbow strained his burn, Perian let Brannal take over. He brushed Perian’s hair, placed his beads, and braided the small pieces of hair to keep the beads in place before tying it all back.

No one had helped Perian with his hair since his father had when he was young. He really liked it.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Brannal said, tugging open one of the drawers in the vanity and pulling out… three green glass beads. “These are yours.”

Perian held out his hand, and Brannal dropped them onto his palm. He remembered wondering if he’d want them back, and he realized now that he very much did—both because Brannal had bothered to keep them for him and because more than anything, they represented when he and Brannal had met.

“Thank you,” Perian said, closing his fingers around them for a moment before realizing he could hardly carry them around with him all the time. Brannal had just finished putting other beads in his hair, ones that actually matched his clothes.

He dropped the beads back into his collection, knowing they’d just become favorites, and Brannal pressed a kiss to his hair.

Finally, they had their very delayed breakfast.

“Are actual important decisions for the country not occurring because you’re busy taking me to bed?” Perian asked curiously.

Brannal laughed. “Not generally. I mean, I can be involved in important decisions that include the Mage Warriors and Warriors, of course. I sit on the Council along with Cormal. But in the general course of a day, I review reports from the watch stations and those who have been patrolling, analyze data, oversee training, work with Onadal to ensure the safety of the castle, that sort of thing.”

Perian squinted at him. “That kind of sounds like a lot of really important things.”

Brannal laughed. “I guess it’s a fair amount of responsibility.” He made a face. “I know now is not the time to be touting any of his good points, but Cormal is an able Secundus in that regard. He shares the responsibilities with me.”

Perian grimaced, and Brannal sort of shrugged.

Put-upon, Perian said, “I guess he can’t beallbad if he helps make time for you and me to have sex.”

Brannal snorted. “There it is.”

“So, we need to hurry up and eat breakfast so you can go be amazing?” Perian suggested.

“The paperwork is not going anywhere, but yes, I should get to it. I have a patrol coming up in a few weeks.”

“Oh,” Perian said a bit blankly. “Out of the city, you mean?”

Brannal nodded. “As you are probably aware, we have Mage Warriors and Warriors in all the districts at various watch stations. Teams can be dispatched at need when there are demon sightings.”

Perian nodded. No one wanted an infestation of wraiths or nightmares or lesser demons. They could cause a lot of damage, and they could kill a lot of people if left unchecked. Perian had never heard of an infestation of carnalions, but while it would, presumably, be a more pleasant way to die, it would still be very fatal.

“I don’t patrol often anymore,” Brannal continued, “as I do a lot of the planning, training, and organizing here, but I will go out in response to sightings if needed. And I perform inspections. They keep me informed and ensure people are in top form.”

Parsing this, Perian interpreted, “You’re saying that when there’s a significant sighting, you’re the one people send for.”

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