Page 24 of Changeling
Not a day has goneby that Sebastian hasn’t managed to be an enticing thorn in my side—and a muse for my more provocative dreams. I’ve endured this temptation for six days, and it will be double that before Ivaz returns to pluck the faerie from my brothel and shuffle him north to safety.
The Twig isn’t yet open, won’t open for hours, in fact, so I remain in my incubus form. Leonas and I sit across from each other in my small study. He’s curled into his chair like a contortionist, limber legs tucked beneath him. We have much to discuss.
He holds a mug of warm milk between his hands, provided by the ever-thoughtful Rizpah upon his return.
“What have you discovered of the rumors from Bettina?” I ask without a true desire to know the answer. Considering the source—Bettina is Ivaz’s sire and generally knows everything about everyone in her extensive web—I’ve already assumed the rumors are true, and I’m in no mood for conflict.
“She’s correct,” Leonas confirms. “Two unidentified travelers entered our territory without permission. Both recently arrived in Pest from the north.”
I sigh, rubbing my hands over the cream silk covering my thighs. It could be worse. “At least there’s not more than two. Why can’t Bettina deal with them?”
“She has her hands full with a feisty new fledging, Erzsébet. They must stay in hiding because they’ve faked the woman’s death.”
Ah. No wonder. “That explains why Ivaz was sent to deal with the troublesome twins rather than Bettina. Which leaves these interlopers at my door, doesn’t it? What does she expect me to do?”
“She just said take care of it—one way or another.” Leonas calmly sips his milk, then licks the little white mustache from his upper lip.
“What have you learned about them?”
“Very little. In appearance, they are a young man and a young woman, both petite, both seeming quite harmless, though we know looks to be deceiving.”
Leonas would point that out. He may be small, but he fights fiercer than a feral alley cat. He often benefits from others underestimating him, thus unlikely to show the same weakness. “So you’ve laid eyes on them?”
“Yes, from afar, but they noticed me immediately and took off. I wasn’t able to follow.” Annoyance crosses his expression. “They escaped through a portal.”
Camel spit. “So they’re witches?”
“I can’t be certain. Probably at least that, maybe something more. A witch who can portal is rare. They’ve got to be quite sure of themselves, traveling so boldly through another’s territory without permission.”
“Anything useful in their scent trail?”
Leonas shakes his head. “Covered. Also by magic. I was lucky to find the pair at all.”
A lesser scout would have missed them for sure. “We can hope they’re just passing through. I can’t be bothered to dole out punishments for trespassing if Bettina can’t be bothered to properly patrol the territory in the first place.”
His deep yellow eyes catch mine. “Do you think this could have something to do with the faerie?”
I wonder that myself. “It wouldn’t surprise me. He’s caused enough trouble already.”
“Really?” Leonas lifts his brows. “Sebastian didn’t strike me as a troublemaker. I’ve only been gone a few nights. What’s he done in that time?”
I rearrange a tidy stack of papers on my desk, even though it can’t be any neater. “Well, he hasn’t exactlydoneanything. His presence alone is enough to put me on edge.”
Leonas wisely suppresses laughter. “Pfft. You make him sound like he’s purposefully causing mischief. Let me guess. He’s been friendly to the staff, gone out into town to explore, and been a little too easy on your eyes, has he?”
My gaze flits from my papers to Leonas. “What? No. I’d prefer not to look at him at all, thank you.”
A sly grin tugs at the corners of his lips. “You usually don’t lie to me, Dominus. Give the kid a break. He’s sweet.”
“He’s a faerie. And how would you know what he’s like?”
“He shared his meat.”
My jaw drops, and I gape at him. “What?”
Leonas has to set his cup down to hold his stomach as he chuckles. “Lamb,” he says between chortles. “On a stick. What didyouthink I meant?”
“Not lamb,” I huff.
