Page 61 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

“Much better rested than I was yesterday,” Perian told him. “You?”

“The same.”

“So, there needs to be someone with us when Renny and I have our picnic?” Perian asked, having apparently processed overnight more of what Brannal had said yesterday.

“She needs an escort out to the garden. We reached a compromise where she would not be accompanied into the… secret hiding spot so you can have some privacy.”

Perian couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s shortly to be the least secret hiding place in the history of ever, but thank you.”

Perian knew full well it wasn’t a concession Cormal would have been advocating for.

“We do want her to be well,” Brannal said quietly.

“Of course,” Perian agreed.

He’d been a little short-tempered yesterday, but he shouldn’t forget he’d actually known Renny for the least amount of time. It had probably been terribly insulting to imply that all the rest of them didn’t have her best interests at heart. What she’d needed had just seemed so clear to him.

After a few minutes of silence, Perian ventured, “I suppose we should get up and start the day.”

Brannal hummed an agreement but didn’t make an immediate move to get up, so Perian continued to bask in the warmth and contentment.

Eventually, with a sigh, Brannal rose, and Perian followed. And then they paused awkwardly because on previous mornings, this would have been when the two of them got cleaned up in the water closet together. And probably did other things in there as well.

“Why don’t you get cleaned up first,” Perian suggested, keeping his tone light. “Pretty sure you have somewhere to be before I do.”

Brannal hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded, leaned in to press a fleeting kiss to Perian’s cheek, and headed into the water closet.

He blew out a somewhat unsteady breath and then made himself walk out into the sitting room. He wanted Brannal to be able to get dressed in comfort, and they hadn’t fully discussed everything yet. Better to err on the side of caution.

Breakfast was already laid out for them, and Perian wondered if the staff took lessons to be able to slip into rooms and lay out whole collections of food and then disappear again without anyone being the wiser.

Perian somehow doubted it would be his best skill.

He sat down by the fire and watched the shifting flames, thinking about the fact that Brannal and Cormal could both make fire appear with a mere thought. Much as he didn’t like Cormal—and hereallydidn’t—he also had to concede that no matter what Renny had done to him, no fireballs had appeared. Either Cormal had been too shocked to manage anything, or he actually could control his temper when it mattered.

A few minutes later, Brannal stuck his head out the bedroom doorway.

“Water closet is free.”

He was still wearing his sleep trousers, so apparently, he didn’t mind if they crossed paths while he dressed.

“Thank you,” Perian said, rising to go relieve himself and get cleaned up.

It wasn’t quite an effortless and enjoyable morning like they’d had previously, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t learn to make this work as well. People and relationships changed all the time.

This didn’t make Perian feel entirely better, but it was a vast improvement to their disastrous encounter in the bedroom. Maybe fully penetrative sex was off the table. He was still perfectly happy to make everything else work.

By the time he was finished, the bedroom was empty, and his stomach clenched, but he resisted the urge to open the bedroom door to make sure Brannal was out there.

It was a distinct relief to emerge once he was dressed and find the man sitting at the table just like normal. He had tea, but he hadn’t started eating yet.

“Morning,” Perian said—rather stupidly given that they had already woken up together.

But Brannal smiled at him. “Good morning.” He gestured to the table. “Tea’s hot.”

And so, by sheer dint of doing exactly what they used to do, they… mostly succeeded in doing exactly what they used to do. Funny, that.

“What do you have planned for the morning? More dancing in ballrooms?” Brannal asked.

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