Page 62 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

Perian rolled his eyes as he added jam to his toast. “I shouldn’t really expect anyone to keep anything quiet around here, should I?”

“Was it a secret?” Brannal asked.

Perian laughed. “Definitely not. I told Renny all about it, and I assume Arvus told Molun. He said they often go dancing.”

Brannal nodded. “It’s a way for them to unwind.” He hesitated for a brief moment, moved the scrambled eggs around on his plate, and then added, “And I believe it’s one of their preferred methods of picking up a third.”

“Ah.” Perian considered this, and nodded. “Well, you get a good idea of how someone moves and whether you have a connection through dancing.”

It had usually worked for Perian, anyway.

“It doesn’t bother you?” Brannal questioned, eying him carefully.

“That they like to play with other people? No, why should it?” Perian asked, surprised.

“Some people have opinions,” Brannal said dryly.

Perian laughed. “Ah, yes, I imagine they do. People tend to have opinions about a great many things that don’t actually concern them. Presuming that Molun and Arvus take a ‘no’ as graciously as I imagine they do, then I don’t see how it’s anyone else’s business what they like to get up to on the dance floor or in the bedroom.”

Couples were still the most common relationship configuration, but a smaller percentage of people enjoyed poly relationships. Most people accepted this practice, but there always seemed to be a group who argued it wasn’t “normal” for reasons Perian never really understood.

Brannal asked, “And if they were to ask you to join them?”

“Oh,” Perian said, surprised once more. He set down his fork as he considered. “They’re certainly very attractive, so I’d be flattered, but you and I haven’t talked about anything like that, and I don’t… I mean, I’d want to discuss that sort of thing. I, uh, kind of feel like I have my hands full at the moment with you, and I’m happy to keep it that way right now.” His eyes widened. “Uh, metaphorically speaking. No pressure.”

Thankfully, Brannal’s lips tipped up. “I know what you meant.” An expression Perian couldn’t identify crossed Brannal’s face. He blew out a breath. “In the spirit of complete honesty, I should probably admit that I was under the impression you weren’t using those”—and he gestured back towards the blankets—“with the Princess.”

It took a moment for Perian to understand, and then he blanched, his heart clenching. “Fire and water, I’m sorry! I didn’t think of that!”

But it suddenly made alotof sense, the cold shoulder Perian had received when he’d run off to what looked like another assignation with what must have seemed quite casual contempt for Brannal when they hadn’t discussed it.

He groaned. “I feel like such an idiot.”

Brannal scoffed. “No, I’m quite sure that’s me. You behaved like a perfectly innocent person who was, in fact, perfectly innocent. I’m the one who assumed the worst.”

Perian cringed. “And I kept the blankets in your sitting room.”

Brannal reached across the table and laid his hand over Perian’s, squeezing gently.

“Truly, you behaved as though nothing whatever was the matter, just as you had every right to do,” he pointed out.

“But I never explained what I was doing!” Perian was still castigating himself.

“Because you were protecting a little girl’s secrets. I understand.” With a grimace, Brannal continued, “And in a continuing spirit of honesty, I might have gone off to dinner on my own in a very immature attempt to make you feel what I felt. I apologize.”

“You’re forgiven,” Perian assured him. “I promise to be more clear in the future.”

“I can ask questions if I have concerns,” Brannal pointed out. “Jumping to conclusions was my failing.”

Well, that was fair enough.

“Can we agree not to involve anyone else without discussing it with one another?” Perian asked.

He truly couldn’t imagine making this relationship more complicated right now.

Brannal nodded. “Yes, that seems reasonable.”

“And perhaps we could both make more of an effort to talk to one another if there’s something we don’t understand?” Perian suggested.

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