Today is different. Marek knows exactly what’s wrong. But that doesn’t help him fix it.
Protecting Sei has been a noble excuse, but Marek has really been protecting himself. In doing so, he’s done exactly what he claimed to be protecting Sei from. Marek has been treating Sei like a pawn. An obedient claim and grail without wishes of his own. A burden instead of a partner.
First Marek decided to break the betrothal. Then he decided to go through with the wedding. He never asked for Sei’s opinion.
How hypocritical to hate the Porcelain Guild for shaping Sei into a polite little teacup. Sure, Marek encouraged Sei to break out of his shell. To drink wine. To dye his hair. Small, convenient rebellions.
Whenever Sei strayed out of line, Marek scolded him from wandering without a guard. He should have explained the danger from the start, so Sei could make his own decisions.
Heavy boots thud behind Marek, and Clem joins him on the balcony. Their hair is silver and green today but looks washed out under the sunset. From their stricken expression, Marek already knows what they’re going to say.
“When is it?” Marek asks.
“Today.”
Marek grimaces. “Thanks, Clem. Can you come back in an hour?”
“Yes, Stormrider.”
Hopefully by the time Clem returns, Marek will have figured out what he’s going to do about his betrothed.
He hasn’t figured it out ten minutes later when someone else joins him. Marek turns his head on instinct more than anything else. The giant crimson fellcat slinks onto the balcony patio without a sound. Meeting Marek’s eyes, Osric pauses for a moment. Then he sits near the railing as if to watch the sunset.
Marek waits until he’s reasonably sure Osric isn’t going to lunge for his throat. “Are you here to yell at me too?”
He doesn’t expect an answer. Osric is the least talkative talking animal Marek has ever met. But today is a day for surprises. A low voice rumbles into the back of Marek’s mind, more intrigued than angry.Did Sei really yell at you?
“I assumed Sei would tell you all about it.”
Usually he tells me things. Today, he kicked me out of the bedroom so he could sulk alone.
Marek winces. “Today is his birthday.”
Oh. Interesting.
“I didn’t know. I didn’t even think to find out.”
I don’t pay attention to birthdays. I didn’t know Sei cared about them.Osric turns, regarding Marek with golden eyes.Maybe Sei didn’t care about them before.
“I expected you to bite my head off for hurting him.”
You didn’t just hurt him. You infuriated him.Osric sounds thrilled.You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
Marek disagrees. But even if he’s terrible for Sei, even if it would take months to fix everything he’s fucked up? Marek can start by trying to make up for his failure today. The storm in his head clears enough for a tentative ray of light to shine through.
“Osric,” Marek says. “What are Sei’s favorite foods?”
?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sei
Sei sleeps in late the next morning. By the time he makes it to breakfast, Clem is already gone. After picking at his food, Sei cleans up and gets dressed. Then he lies face-down in bed for the next several hours.
His head hurts worse after half a beer and a tantrum than after all the wine at the Tipsy Tree.
Something nudges his shoulder. Again. Sei swats at it sleepily, then hisses when his knuckles hit the hard object. Rolling over, Sei glares at the hovering hairbrush—and the fellcat sitting safely out of swatting range.
