Ellery
Gaius shiftedhis gaze to the chests. “I should have brought a carriage, but with the thieves running loose around here, it’s probably better I didn’t.”
“Can I help you transport it to the palace?”
Gaius waved his hand as if he were brushing aside my words. “No, I’ll transport them through a portal.”
I glanced at his horse, which was still grazing in the front yard. Did he expect me to keep his horse for him?
“I’ll return for my steed,” Gaius said.
I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about him showing up again whenever the mood struck him.
Before I could respond, he picked up a chest, walked down to the road, and opened a portal. I remained on the porch as he carried the first chest through.
It didn’t take long for Gaius to return with another man. He handed the remaining chest to the man and watched as he carried it through the portal before closing it.
Once the portal closed, Gaius returned to me, but instead of stopping at the bottom of the steps, he climbed to stand near me again. “I’d like you to join me for dinner, milady.”
I should have seen something like this coming, but I hadn’t. I’d expected him to return, get his horse, and leave. Nothing could ever be that simple.
Unprepared for this statement, I tried not to look like an idiot while my mind scrambled to come up with why I couldn’t share a meal with this man. The idea of it wasintolerable.
“I already have dinner plans,” I told him.
This lie didn’t feel as smooth as some of my previous ones. I realized it didn’t land well when his eyebrows drew together over the bridge of his nose.
“Are they with another man?” he inquired.
The low, gravelly tone of his voice revealed his annoyance. He wasn’t the only one growing increasingly irritated.
“That’s none of your business.” My clipped words emphasized my annoyance.
My tone made him decide to try another tactic, as he smiled again. “I like you, Ellery.”
I didn’t miss that he’d stopped calling me “miss” and “milady” to take a more familiar route.
“You barely know me,” I told him.
“True, but I like what I know and want to learn more about you. I’m wondering if there’s competition for you.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “My mother just died. I’m still in mourning and havenointerest in a relationship of any kind right now.”
“Not even with Ryker Locke?”
He had a way of completely throwing me off with his questions. I barely stopped myself from gawking at him.
“Of course not,” I blurted when I recovered enough to speak again.
He smiled at me; Iloathedthat smile. “But you did have a relationship with him.”
I almost said no, but lying wouldn’t serve me well. Samael knew there had been something between me and Ryker; he could have told Gaius about it.
“How do you know I had anything with him?” I asked.
“So, itistrue.”
“My past relationships, real or not, arenoneof your concern.”
