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My face felt tight. Nerves fired outward from my gut, attacking me from head to toe.
“Her ability to enter these rooms is a recent oversight that will be corrected immediately,” he insisted. “In fact, I welcome you to place a ward, allowing only those who you choose to pass through into our space.”
It was hard to ignore his use of the wordour. It implied a permanentusafter only a matter of days. My fae half wanted to hear more use of such pronouns. The witch in me was waiting for the go-ahead to rip off his towel. She would wind it up and choke him with it right after she rode him like a human cowgirl. Or possibly at the same time.
Freaky witch.
“Three, and most importantly, Vera and I are not lovers.”
“So she doesn’t visit, stay in your rooms, and sleep in your bed while she’s here?”
Casimir took a breath. “In recent years she has, but—”
“Years?How often does she visit you?”
Infernal Isis!I sounded like a jealous witch. Justified, but still. I missed the cooler version of myself and I had no idea how to get her back.
“Vera doesn’t come to Embour to visitme. Typically, she arrives once a year to check on the wards, as we pay her to do. Others from her coven pop in from time to time to reinforce her work or add something we need. Vera is the strongest so it is her services we typically seek when we feel we have reason for something more substantial. Since Lyric has arrived, we’ve invited her more often than normal. However, I haven’t personally seen her in months because I’m not always here when she’s working. She’s slept in there,” he pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the bedspace, “five, maybe six times total. That’s it.”
My imagination took off and I wanted to burn the bed to ash. Or jab that part of my brain with a dagger. Or hers. Yes, stabbing her in the skull would be quite satisfying. Right after I cut off that sublime rope of hair … and removed her tongue.
Yes, maim her!
My inner witch cheered as some of my resentment died away. I really needed to get this jealousy thing under control. My emotions were on a pendulum swinging far and wide. I shouldn’t be so judgemental of his history. It wasn’t like I didn’t have one.
Casimir reached for my hands and I allowed it. “Are you still upset?”
“Is it going to continue happening?”
“Of course not. Despite appearances to the contrary, I have not been involved with many females since we’ve taken over.”
“Why not? I’m sure you could have your pick.”
“You’d be surprised.” Casimir ran his thumbs across my wrists. “It would be too great of an ask for you to be nice or pleasant to her. I understand. The gods know I couldn’t do it if the situation were reversed. But I am asking that you not kill her. I need her to do her job and then she’ll be on her way.”
“I wasn’t planning on killing her, not unless she proves to be a threat. And I’m not sure I could ever be pleasant to someone who walks around calling you, what was it?” I batted my eyelashes and lowered my voice, “My darling lover Cas?”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “That’s how she talks to everyone. There’s no way for you to have known that, but she does.” My left hand was lifted and he kissed the back of it. “She is nothing more than a friend.”
“That you had sex with. Multiple times.”
“I’m sorry for how this happened. I hope you believe me when I say I would never purposefully hurt you. After all of my dreams about ravens, I dispatched Vera to come and reinforce the wards. She was already on her way when you arrived. I didn’t know I would meet you when I did.”
Casimir’s chest expanded. “The shock to my system buried nearly everything else in my mind outside of you. Still, I should have had enough wits about me to instruct the guards to direct Vera and her companion to the guest quarters when they arrived. I would have broached it with you before meeting her. I would have taken measures had my head been on straight. That’s on me. Nevertheless, you’re here and I am feeling more protective than ever. I’ll risk your displeasure to keep Vera here long enough to ensure your safety while you are inside of these walls. In addition, I’m in charge of Embour’s security and Lyric is pregnant. I am not the only member of the Council who wants added measures.”
What could I say to that?
“As for your parentage, Vera has always been discreet when involved in our affairs. Not that I trust blindly, but I see no reason for her to make waves.”
“That may be true, but she would never choose the Shadow demons over the Dianic witches. If she thought my mother needed to know where I was and what I was doing, or if it would benefit the coven to share this information, she would act. Circe wanted me on the fae throne, remember? Plus, I’m a fugitive from the Faelands. That sort of knowledge is dangerous, especially if it is something the Mirror Lake Coven values.”
Casimir tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and said, “How would she even know?”
‡ ‡ ‡
“So you’re the little hybrid everyone’s making such a fuss about?” Vera casually declared, picking up her glass of wine from the coffee table and leaning back in her plush chair.
“Excuse me?” I looked up, meeting her inquisitive eyes.
