Page 88 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

No one but him had noticed every time I slipped away. He’d noticed even when I hadn’t. “It’s like we are playing house,” I said, languidly walking around him. “I’ve never had someone to play house with when I was little. Might as well take this off the list of things in my childhood I didn’t get to do.”

His eyes rose to me as I circled past him, watching me like a cat waiting to pounce on prey. “We aren’t playing. You’re my wife and this is one of our homes.”

His wife. “Fake wife, fake home, honey,” I said, reaching for two bowls overhead and struggling.

Before I’d resort to climbing up the shelves, Malik abandoned the stirring and lifted me around the waist, strong hands holding me up like I weighed only thoughts. He lingered a little after putting me down when he usually wouldn't hesitate to put space between us.

“There you are, Tiny,” he spoke in my ear before moving away.

“I could have gotten them myself.”

“I don’t take pleasure in watching you struggle.”

“Can’t say the same.”

There was a wicked smirk on his face as he put the tip of his finger inside the boiling custard mix and held it to me. “Tell me if it is not sweet enough.”

There were tablespoons, teaspoons, soup spoons, ladles and all sorts, but I leaned forward regardless, and wrapped my lips around his finger, licking the custard off. He watched me as I did so, his eyes following every little movement I made. “Sweet enough. And oddly tasty.”

“I’m a man of many skills,” he said, bringing the same finger to his mouth and sucking on it.

Hurriedly, I spun round and busied myself with ladling the custard into the bowls before I’d do something that would make me too embarrassed to roam this earthly surface.

Malik didn’t even give me enough time to even sit down and eat a spoonful when he asked, “Where did you disappear today?”

The taste had soured before I’d even tried it, so I lowered the spoon back on the table. “Thought you had eyes in every shadow.”

“I want you to tell me. I feel like your shadow is trying to deceive and lie to me. You wouldn't do it. Keep things from me? Sure. But not lie.”

“I was at court. In Grasmere. For the winter fleet checks. Got to see the new icebreakers added to the ship bows crack through ice.”

Dropping the spoon on the table, he leaned back and gave me a smug look. “The White Veil made its debut in Grasmere today.”

“Are you asking if I went to see the White Veil off?” I asked, gobbling down a massive spoonful of custard because he was right, I couldn’t lie to him.

“Of a sort. Were you?”

“No.”

“Did you engage with the White Veil in some other type of way?”

Pretending to think about it for a minute, I shook my head. “Don’t think so.”

“Didn’t even send them a thank you note?”

“Was out of royal ink.”

He ran a hand over his face to hide his smile. “You know this fucker, don’t you?”

“Everyone does.”

“You really want me to find out for myself? You know I will. And I like being made to work for my gold.” He pointed a finger at me. “But you won’t like your big fat mouse falling into one of my traps, not when it gives you the majority of the popular vote in this kingdom.”

Shrugging a shoulder, I finished the rest of my custard. He could try. But he’d find nothing. I wasn’t interested in giving it a face as long as it did my bidding.

He sighed, but he was not intending to give up on this, not in the least. “You’re awfully quiet, little bird.”

“You hate small talk.”