Page 49 of Partnering with the Artist

“You’ll get over it. Come on, Maelin.”

Her attention flicks between Viktor and me.

I grit, “Stand.”

She jolts to her feet, chair legs skidding against the flooring.

I smile. “Thank you, princess. Sorry for my tone. Your legs weren’t working.” I grab her hand, spitting toward Viktor, “I expected better from you.”

“You will forgive my shock,” he mutters, “all things considered.”

“I will not, all things considered.”

Viktor, also, stands. “Kyran’s right.”

Kyran mumbles into his brisket. “Thank you.”

“Please use your knife,” Kaleb whispers.

“You’re not my dad.”

“Thank—” Kaleb swears, “—for that.”

The edge of Kyran’s lips soften as he picks up his knife.

Viktor says, “Let’s talk about this.”

Maelin squeezes my hand.

I say, “I’d rather not, given the audience.”

Maelin whispers, “I’m so sorry. I— I fell. I know that sounds like a lie, but it’s the truth. I fell.”

“You fell onto Zakery’s bed so perfectly it looked as though he’d just been on top of you?” Viktor arches a brow.

Kyran freezes, looks up at me, blinks once.

“Viktor,” Kaleb says, “it sounds like you’re accusingher.”

“Let me rephrase then. Zakery, with no help at all, Maelin fellunderyou?”

Kyran’s hand rises.

I snap, “No, you cannot ask any clarifying questions.”

His hand returns to his fork, and he nudges his meat around, despondent.

Crisis interjects, “This is making everyone uncomfortable.”

“There’s still a pea in your hair,” I mutter.

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Viktor says, assessing his fiancée, locating the pea, and retrieving it.

Crisis rolls her eyes. “Here, I’ll fix everything. Maelin, Zakery, waswhateverhappened upstairs consensual?”

That makes me freeze. Because…I am not actually sure. Stiff, I glance back at Maelin, whose attention remains fixed on the floor. Crushing my hand, she softly says, “Um…y-yes.”

“Great. Then everyonesit down.”

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