Page 127 of Serpent and Shadow

“Do you really need me to answer that?” he asked flatly.

“Yes,” I said.

Bones stared at me a few seconds longer, then let out a sigh.

“He’s been telling me to come and deal with the problem since you showed up in his house,” he replied, his words blunt, matter-of-fact. “Before that, really. He suggested it not long after I came to be staying with him. He seems to have resigned himself to the fact that he’ll need help keeping his pet dragon in check… or at least remotely sane.”

He continued to avoid my eyes as his words turned scathingly polite.

“Of course, I’m to extend an invitation for you to come and live in the castle with us, wife. He wished me to tell you that you’re welcome to come stay with me full time, whenever you want, with the promise of our own bedroom and only partially monitored conjugal visits.”

He gave me a hard look.

“He even offered Varya as companionship while I’m away… given how busy I’ll be, helping him to burn down our world one city at a time. And your brother will be there too, of course. Just think how cozy it would be, the whole family together, he told me. How prosaic.” Bones smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “He finds imagining you there, with my traitorous mother and your mongrel brother quite enjoyable, I think.”

I stared at him, breathing harder.

His words felt like a gut punch, and I honestly couldn’t tell if he’d even done it on purpose. I almost wondered if he was joking.

From his face, I knew he wasn’t.

“Well, that’s certainly broad-minded of him,” I said coldly, my fists clenching in the sheets. “Enveloping me into the love of a respectable family, particularly given my own rather embarrassing ancestral background. Even welcoming your new brother-in-law into the fold. Do you think I should take up this kind offer… husband?”

His jaw ticked again.

After a weighted pause, he turned to glare at me, his words vicious.

“If you even think about it, I’ll kill you myself,” he growled.

My jaw clenched as I nodded. I folded my arms, fighting back a lump in my throat.

“Does he know you’re not exactly pure in blood either, Bones?” I asked. “Or hasn’t he managed to get that out of Varya, yet?”

His glare swiveled off me as he focused back on his buttons. I watched the glint of gold metal disappear as he buttoned the high-collared shirt over it.

“Back to this,” I muttered, pressing my lips together. “Silence.”

Even in my frustration, I seemed to be physically incapable of looking away from his face, something he clearly had no trouble doing with me. My eyes fell only once, to the blood on his shirt, which had stiffened the cloth, making it bunch where he buttoned it up.

Sunrise was lightening the windows.

“The death threats are getting pretty tired, Bones,” I added, a touch louder. “If you really wanted to kill me, you could have done it by now. You would have done it by now. It’s not like I haven’t given you plenty of opportunities.”

I bit my lip, then said it anyway.

“…And we both know how easily killing comes to you.”

He flinched at my words, intensely enough that I instantly regretted them.

He looked away before I could think about apologizing.

Pain crossed his expression a second time when he bent down to grab his long coat.

I struggled with what to say as he stuffed an arm into one sleeve, then threw the bulk of the heavy fabric over his back to finish putting it on.

“Please,” I said, quieter. “Please, Bones… don’t leave like this.”

He froze.