Chapter 18 #3
“Didn’t you say there were tests? Back at the wedding?”
Inkiri grunted. “For power such as yours, there would be an exception, or minimal testing to see that you can perform some basic magic and know to warn protectors with you not to get too close to you when you’re doing magic.
That sort of thing. But also, Zeddira would want to know how much more magic you can perform.
He’d want to know the breadth and depth of your skill. ”
I wiggled my legs, but Inkiri kept me still. I’d never thought about being able to make money with magic, but that was what it sounded like. I’d never thought about money to begin with.
That really was an inconsiderate thing of me to do. I was a gold digger after all. Vergis had called it, and he’d been right.
“Well, I mean, I’ll do my share.” I didn’t like the thought of having to figure out what the depth and breadth of my magic was.
I’d still have preferred to just go live somewhere, and perhaps I could’ve done something like waiting tables wherever we ended up.
After all, the dream of becoming an actor prepared a person for that career path like nothing else, and with any luck, a human server on Aer would make me something like an attraction and get me lots of tips.
“Your share? I’m not sure exactly what you mean. Do you want to position yourself in the Raiken? I will support you if that’s the case, but, sweet thing, I don’t think you will be happy doing that. While the choice is yours, I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Mmh. I mean, like, the past two years have made life before seem almost surreal, but I know that things cost money. I’m willing to do my share. Earning said money. Especially if we go live on Aer where life is still normal.”
Inkiri clicked. “Sweet thing, this is not at all what you should be taking away from this conversation. It’s not even something that you need to be worried about.
Our sentenmen—we’ve been very well paid given that we’ve worked in the border region ever since we graduated, and on top of that, my fathers pay all their children in the Raiken an allowance.
Or a stipend? I’m not sure what the best word is.
Money isn’t something you should be concerned with.
If it were, it would be the House that would offer you the most of that.
“No, what my brother wishes of you is power, and what you would gain from it is influence. But such things—like magic itself—live in a delicate balance, and they require constant maintenance. Again, if you want that, I will support you, but from all you’ve told me, from how much more relaxed you are here at Kinnek’s House, it would not bring you happiness. ”
I considered that for a long time, so long I felt Inkiri’s barb relax and slide free of my body with that delicious spike of arousal that always came with it. Inkiri cleaned me up with one of the small hand towels we kept in our room specifically for that purpose.
“What about the House? That’s not something you want me to do either?” I asked when he’d settled back on the bed with me, this time sitting up against the headboard. He pulled me against his chest, and I relaxed into his firm body.
Inkiri clicked at me and stroked my cooling skin. “What I want doesn’t matter all that much, Sadir. I’ve thought about it, ever since Zeddira first mentioned it.”
“So you’ve done a pro and con list already? Why don’t you share?”
I wasn’t sure whether I should be annoyed Inkiri hadn’t told me about any of this or not, but to be honest, I loved that my greatest worry over the past few weeks had been the cola ash dude in the bunker.
It was a good, solid worry with clear solutions ranging from messy to less messy, and in a wicked way, there was something comforting about the clarity of that.
But politics and influence? I was out of my depth all over again at just the thought.
I was still surprised and impressed with myself for not doing anything embarrassing in front of Zeddira.
“I have no list like that. It’s a very human idea to decide with a list, as if you could measure the decision in that way.”
“Hey!” I turned to him and kissed his warm chest. “Humans are very advanced when it comes to making decisions, so don’t be like that. I think my parents decided to get divorced after making a pro and con list. Maybe they also asked their financial adviser about it.”
“Hmm.” He looked down at me, one of his inky eyebrows raised.
“Okay, so maybe we could make better decisions than my parents and their financial adviser.” I settled back against him. “Seriously though, what have you been thinking?”
“That you would like House Livim. You’d be treasured, cosseted.
According to Zeddira, the sentenmen would be welcome as well.
They would want you to perform magic to serve the greater good of the House, but they certainly wouldn’t endanger your well-being.
Hmm. They might try more aggressively to set you up with a hangu than Zeddira is currently attempting. ”
“Huh?”
Inkiri tilted his head. “Isn’t it obvious?
I missed his intent the first time around, but then you were not well, and I was distracted.
He’s clearly trying to catch your eye, and the interpreter he brought along is dressed in finery that isn’t suitable for a mission to Earth.
It’s not suitable for any mission that might entail battling monsters.
Likely, he is someone very trusted by Zeddira and here to present you with yet another option, someone who speaks your language. ”
I gaped. “Your own brother…is trying to seduce me? Or set me up with the interpreter? What for?” The information processing team in my brain submitted another question. “Was that why you needed me to scream so they could all hear it?”
My mate clicked, a pleased and very smug expression on his beautiful face.
“I always like it when you scream. They’re trying to seduce you for influence, of course. Also because it’s well understood that a hangu and hangu pairing would mean your young have magic as well.”
Processing that took a lot of effort, especially when my brain was still saturated with a really good happy cocktail of the sexorphins.
“But—” I pointed at myself. “—I’m, like, another species. Also, what did we discuss about the uterus, the one I do not have, at all?”
“There are stories about humans and bagua having children. The stories about human fae or elves having children together. Kinnek would be the better person to ask, but as far as I know, there have been no occurrences like that in recent memory, which, to me, suggests that magic would make it more likely. Zeddira will have come to the same conclusion. In his reasoning, it’s worth the effort for the influence alone, you can be quite certain of that. ”
“But—wow. You do remember how we talked about not doing the polycule thing your people are so fond of?” I wasn’t even going to touch the procreation talk. I was getting wiser with my age and married status, and I knew I couldn’t handle that.
“I do, but Zeddira doesn’t know that.”
“To that I would like to add: eww. I mean, you and he are brothers. He gets that, right? It’s basically like the cola asshats.”
That seemed to trip Inkiri up, judging by the head tilts I was getting.
“Sadir, Zeddira would not suggest I go to bed with him, obviously. I may have opinions about my brother, but he’s not depraved like that, or in fact depraved in any way.
We may not agree on some points, but I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of him.
He’s upstanding, very competent, and kind to those who work around him.
He navigates both House and Raiken politics in a way few are able, and he makes it look easy. ”
“Cool, not that I needed a reference. Seriously though. Well, I guess it’s not so weird to date one brother and then the other—although I’m not considering that, to be clear. I’m just mentally working through this. Wow. Won’t ever date him, promise.”
“You said. I remember.”
“But I meant it!”
Which confused him, apparently.
“You mentioned being worried about cheating. Are you trying to reassure me that you won’t be doing that?”
“Well, kind of?”
He bent forward to lick my throat. “Thank you, although it’s not needed. You’re my light in darkness. I trust you, always. You said what you wanted, and I believe it. I don’t need anything else.”
We weren’t done talking, but he made me feel so warm and safe.
Except, someone knocked on the door, and because life sucked sometimes, Kinnek didn’t wait for us to tell him to stay outside, he just came in.
“It sounded like you two were done.” He casually walked into our bedroom and over to the window while my face turned cabbage red.
I was naked. Buck-ass naked. I reached for one of the pillows.
No one else seemed to care. Kinnek paused and looked at us with his hand on the window.
“You’re not going for another round, are you? ”
I shook my head. Kinnek closed the window silently and plopped down on the side of the bed. Everything was out and on display. The pillow was sort of stuck under the blanket. With any luck, Inkiri’s knee was hiding the goods, my goods, but I wasn’t sure.
“It might be wise for me to go to Zeddira and see if he wishes to talk,” weirdo husband said, unbothered. So unbothered.
I cleared my throat. Kinnek rolled his eyes but plucked my shirt off the ground and handed me it. I mumbled my thanks and scrambled into it. It was long enough to offer some cover, thank fudge.
Kinnek gestured toward the window. “True. Your brother would like your company. By the way, I told him about our guest in the bunker.”
“You what now?” I struggled with the fruity buttons. I wasn’t all that dexterous under pressure.