Page 28 of By Mistake
Andrus's brows furrowed deeply, making Oresti want to soothe the troubled lines away, give him better, sweeter things to think about.
Near the door, Shimari stood as silent as a shadow, easy to overlook and forget about, his green eyes glowing ever so faintly.A shiver ran down Oresti's spine, and he turned his attention fully back on Andrus.
"So what did my mother do, then?"
"She summoned a demon, made it look and act like a brownie while it was here at the house.I'd wager once they were well away, though, that it wasn't selling furniture that made them the money she brought home."
Andrus stared at him, then at the wall, then strode from the room.
Oresti sighed and threw his pen on the table before raking his hands through his hair."So much for getting back in his good graces."
"He's missed you," Shimari said.
Oresti cast him a look."Like I'm interested in anything a crafty, conniving demon has to say."
Shimari only laughed."Finish studying the spell, little prince.Then I have some other things to tell you, related to that little necklace that left powerful residue all over you."
"What could you possibly have to tell me about a necklace that belonged to Prince Kolik?"
"Whose power do you think they imbued the amulet with, little boy?"Shimari asked, green eyes slipping back into red as he prowled across the room, planting a hand on Oresti's chest and driving him back into the wall with shocking strength."It was Sendrus who last summoned me to your charming little plane, Sendrus and Kolik whom I called friends, and it was my power Sendrus used to fill the amulet he was going to gift to Kolik.I'm not going to hurt your beloved."
"Call him that where he can hear you and see what happens," Oresti retorted."Even a demon should tread lightly with his wrath."Shimari snickered, and despite all the knowledge and training that said he shouldn't, Oresti relaxed."You knew Sendrus and Kolik."
"They were my friends," Shimari replied."Come on, gather all this up and return to the study.I'll track down our errant lord and tell you both all about them—and why it's so fucking stupid anyone would think Sendrus murdered Kolik."He vanished, and Oresti rolled his eyes.
Dutifully gathering up the papers, he made his way back upstairs.
This was not at all how he had hoped this day would go, but it wasn't over yet, and he wouldn't be leaving until he could be certain for himself there was no way Shimari could hurt so much as a hair on Andrus's head.
Nine
It was Shimari who came and found him in the garden—the gazebo, where he always felt a little better, even if it would very likely fall down on his head any day now.
"Go away," Andrus muttered."You and Oresti are having so much fun mocking and belittling me together, I figured you'd prefer his company anyway."
"You are my master, not he."
Andrus snorted, amused despite himself."Nobody is your master."
"No, but your ancestor was my dear friend.Now stop sulking and come inside, so I can tell both of you all about your ancestors and why none of this ever should have happened.Also, you need to reassure your beloved that sleeping on the floor did you no lasting harm, because he gets most distraught every time you bring up your less than idyllic childhood."
Rolling his eyes, Andrus reluctantly followed Shimari back inside."He's a prince.He probably thinks getting his breakfast late is a criminal offense."
Shimari laughed, probably because the idea was so absurd.Oresti was everything that a prince generally was not: kind, hardworking, honest (mostly), dutiful, and surprisingly aware of the world beyond his gilded palace.
If he wasn't a prince, he'd be perfect.Though, no, that wasn't fair.The problem wasn't Oresti.The problem was Andrus and his sordid family history that meant he would never, ever be allowed to be as close to Oresti as he wanted.
Back in his parlor, a fresh tea service already awaited them.The poor staff, he hoped they ate the food from the previous setting, this was just wasteful.
"Andrus," Oresti said, abandoning the window he'd been standing at and rushing over to him, taking his hands and squeezing them gently."I'm sorry.I didn't mean to hurt you.Inevermean to hurt you.I hate that's all I ever seem to do."
Damn it, why was he always so fuckingperfect."You didn't hurt me—well, you did when you lied aboutbeing a bloody prince—but I just…I don't understand why my mother summoned a demon.Surely if she'd been up to something that dangerous, she'd have made more money than she did, right?You don't summon a demon to make money that only lasted just over four months."Even if that had been an incredible amount to them back then, in practice it wasn't actually all that much, not the way they'd been living.
"A matter we'll most certainly investigate when more urgent matters are resolved," Shimari said."Now sit."
Andrus shot him a look, but obeyed, huffing as Oresti promptly took over the tea tray."I can make my own tea just fine, you know.I've been doing it all by myself for years."
Oresti grinned and handed off the cup he was holding."Just drink."
