She gave him a look so unimpressed it could have curdled milk.
Maldenis exhaled slowly through his nose. “My mother believes I deliberately bound myself to a human.”
“That sounds like a you problem.”
“It is now a political problem,” he said.
She groaned and rubbed her face. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because,” he said patiently, “you are half of the situation.”
“I did not sign up for a situation.”
“You jumped into a sacred spring with me.”
“I jumped into a spring with a hot basilisk,” she corrected sharply. “Details matter.”
Maldenis stared at her for a moment, then he actually laughed. That only irritated her more.
“This isn’t funny.”
“It’s a little funny,” he said.
“Your family is dishonored!”
“Yes,” he agreed calmly.
“And you’re laughing!”
“Well, when you put it that way…”
She threw her hands in the air. “Why are you here?”
“Because,” Maldenis leaned slightly closer, “my mother has decided that if I have bound myself to a human…she would like to meet the human.”
She blinked. “No.”
“She insists.”
“Still no.”
“You should come.”
“I will absolutely not come,” she said flatly.
Maldenis tilted his head, studying her with that same infuriatingly amused expression. “You’re afraid.”
“I am not afraid.”
“You are.”
“I am annoyed.”
“That too.”
She jabbed a finger toward him. “You cannot just show up here and drag me into basilisk family drama!”
“I’m not dragging you.”
