Page 244 of Night's Fall
“More like…cold, distant, argumentative.”Mean.
“I’m sorry?” he queried, now appearing confused.
“It’s like with every conversation we have, he’s picking a fight.Like, he’s going for all the vulnerable spots, prodding them, even pushing at them to force me to react.”
“Yourvulnerable spots?”
“Mine.”
Mr.Truelocksaid nothing, but now he appeared contemplative.
“It’s only been today, and yesterday was a lot,”Iexplained. “Iget the sense he’s more upset than he’s willing to let on that we lostAntheme, so that might be part of it.”
“I’m not a shifter, as you know,”Mr.Truelocksaid. “ButIdo know, when their protective instincts have engaged, the males are very unpredictable.Butshifters are creatures of action.Fordragons, to that action, you can add fire.Eitherway, it’s known this runs hot.Fora dragon,Iwould suspect very hot.Notcold and argumentative.”
Hmm.
“Freya is not my mate, demons don’t have them,”Mr.Truelockcontinued.
“I know.”
“SoIfearImay not have any answers as to whyAlekseihas retreated to this behavior after what’s happened.”
“So you think it’s a mate thing, not a shifter thing?”
“I could ask some of my shifter acquaintances,” he offered. “Andsome of my mated ones.”
“Do you think they might figure out that you’re asking aboutAlekseiand me?”
“I think they knowI’vebeen moved to thePalacefor my protection because you’re my family, so yes.AlthoughI’ddo my best to shroud it, if they have a brain in their head, and they all do, they would likely make that leap, considering it isn’t a far distance to land.”
So that was out.
“AndIcan’t ask the king or queen, because they aren’t mates either,”Imumbled.
“This is true.Butyou could look it up on a digi-pane.”
Oh my gods.
I was such an idiot.
Of courseIcould.
Why hadn’tIthought of that?
In fact, why hadn’tIdone it weeks ago?
Aleksei had even mentioned how poor my research was, sinceIgot everythingIknew about mates from romance novels.
“I can’t believeIdidn’t think of that.”
“It’s as if you have other things taking your time and other matters on your mind,” he teased.
He was totally the best.
“Thank you,Mr.Truelock.”
“I wonder, perhaps when you become princess, if you might consider acquiescing to one of my many offers to call meMammon.”
