Page 25 of By Mistake
"That's scheduled for next week, but there's a secret—" Shimari stopped as someone knocked on the door."Enter."
A footman entered and bowed."You've a guest, my lord.Investigator Kalhan."
"Damn it," Andrus said with a groan."I knew this was going to happen.I told you!"
Shimari's brows rose."Who is this Investigator, and does he need to be dealt with?"
"Oresti.It's Oresti.He, I don't know, decided to be an investigator even though he's a prince.He's a good one.I—" He shook his head."Doesn't matter.He needs to stay away from me.I thought I'd driven him off, but I guess I need to do a better job of it."He dropped his head into his hands with a sigh.
"Show him in," Shimari said quietly."Bring refreshments."
"Yes, Master Shimari."
Andrus stood and paced around the room, too anxious to hold still as he waited to see the man he most wanted in the world to see, and had hoped to never see again.
Eight
Oresti had tussled with dangerous criminals.He'd once stalked an especially dangerous murderer through the late-night streets.He'd been stabbed, thrown off buildings, assaulted, strangled, and early in his career someone had thrown a pot of embers in his face.Thankfully he'd blocked most of the damage, but his right cheek would always bear the scars.His father had been so angry over it that Oresti had feared he was going to tear the city apart to find the bastard—who they'd found a week later, and that was the last Oresti ever saw of him.
Not a single bit of that was as terrifying as standing in a parlor waiting to see if Andrus would have anything to do with him.
He'd waited three long, agonizing days, distracting himself every way he knew how, then put on the best clothes he could without drawing too much attention to himself and come here as quickly as his legs would carry him, apology gift in hand.He hadn't taken a coach or horse only for the same need not to draw too much attention.
Despite the rumors that had reached him, delivered personally by his sister, he still could not believe the changes he was staring at.The house looked entirely new, like a completely different house.The parlor he stood in currently would be envied by the finest houses in the city.How?He'd never really been allowed beyond the kitchen and staff quarters, but he knew the house hadn't looked like this.
It was all over town how much 'Lord Bothwell' was spending, all the staff he'd hired, the mysterious,very handsomeman doing everything on his behalf, a supposed personal assistant or some rot.
The door opened, and Oresti turned around with far more calm than he felt—and struggled not to show his heartbreak when the same servant from before stepped into the room.So Andrus wasn't going to see him.Damn it, there had to be something he could do.
"Lord Bothwell will see you in his private salon," the man said."If you'll follow me, Investigator."
Oresti almost couldn't move, the shock and relief were so strong.He managed to acknowledge the words, though, and grabbed up his package before he followed the man through the house, up stairs busy with staff and contractors going up and down, and finally to a room where he could just hear two voices—one familiar, one not.
His skin prickled with magical awareness.Had Andrus cast a spell or something?Was that what all this wealth was about?That made no sense, though, nothing short of summoning a demon could manage something as dramatic as going from poor to obscenely wealthy in the span of days.
The door opened, and he stepped inside—and was immediately assaulted with the unmistakable tang ofdemon.His gaze swept the room and landed on a smirking, smarmy little bastard.Oresti cast his package aside and stormed across the room toward him, magic sparking at his fingertips."You!I don't know what you've done, but so fucking help I will send you back—"
"Oresti, stop!"Andrus said, moving to stand between him and the demon he was about to rend limb from limb before throwing it back into the eternal realms, arms out defensively."Stop, it's all right!"
"That's a demon!Nothing is all right when there's a fucking demon in the room," Oresti snarled."Who the fuck are you?You're masking your full power; I can tell that much.I'll knock that smirk off your face if you don't remove it yourself.What have you done to Andrus?Who summoned you?What have you been ordered to do?"
Hands fell heavy on his chest, shocking him so hard he froze.His gaze fell helplessly drawing to the beautiful, compelling man it had hurt to be without for three days."Oresti, stop, please.Everything is fine.He won't hurt me; he swore on his own name."
"He— What?"Oresti blinked, stared, then dragged his gaze back up to the demon before saying slowly, "What in the fuck is going on here?"He stepped back, looking between them again, stomach knotting for no reason he could say.
Before he could speak, a knock came at the door, and Oresti watched in silence as tea was brought in and arranged at the round table set in front of a half-circle bank of windows, an older tea tray taken away.
When the three of them were alone again, he snapped his attention back to the demon."Who are you?What are you doing here?"
"I summoned him by mistake," Andrus blurted out.
Oresti stared at him, unable to comprehend the words just spoken."Say again?"
Face flushed, Andrus stared at Oresti's chest as he repeated, "I summoned him accidentally.I was trying to summon a brownie.It, uh, didn't work right.Obviously."
"You can do magic?"Oresti shook himself."How do you accidentally summon a demon?What demon did you summon?"
Andrus winced, but before he could reply, the demon himself cleared his throat.Oresti turned to face him, watched as he elegantly bowed, green eyes shifting to red as he rose."Shimari of the Harvest, at your service, Your Highness."
