“When did you get here?” asked Will.
“Yesterday afternoon,” she told him. “Aislinn left me at our house, but there was no one there, so I went looking. I saw evidence of a lot of fighting, but there was no one around. So I went into the city, but it was also empty. Eventually I came here, but the palace was empty as well. Where were you?”
He laughed. “In all the same places. We must have missed each other at every stop.”
“What about when you came here?” she asked.
“I was in your father’s room until I came here to sleep.”
She raised her brows in an unspoken question.
“He lost a lot of blood, so I fed him.”
“You two seem to have gotten close,” she observed, her tone suspicious.
A remark like that from most daughters might have been a joke, or a compliment, but Will knew otherwise. Selene feared and hated her father more than anyone living. “Trust me, we aren’t. Far from it. In fact, if I had known you were coming back, I might not have kept him alive.”
That led to a lengthy telling of what had occurred over the past week. Selene’s reactions ranged from shock to anger at some of the things that had happened, but when Will referred to Mark Nerrow harshly, she stopped him. “That isn’t fair,” she said.
“I didn’t mean he was actually as bad as your father, but he really is an ass.”
She gave him a quick kiss, easing his frustration, then responded, “Don’t judge him too harshly. He’s a hundred times better than my father. He actually cares about his children, and that includes you too, even if he hurts you with his poor handling of the situation.”
He could still hear his father’s voice after their last fight, as he had walked away. “It does matter if something happens to you.” Will shook his head to clear the memory. “He’s still a jerk.”
“He’s human,” corrected Selene. “I know he’s hurt you, but remember this, not only did he raise Laina and Tabitha, but he’s the only real father I’ve ever known. My time with that family is the only reason I’m not completely broken.”
Will sighed. “I guess I can give him credit for a few things.” Then he shifted the topic. “What did you mean by ‘diplomatic tensions’ earlier?”
She looked uncomfortable. “Well, I mentioned my problem with Sylandrea, but I didn’t tell you the details of what happened.” He waited, so she continued, “He came into my room one night and kissed me.” Selene stopped. “No, that’s not quite right. I kissed him, but that’s why he was there. He knew what would happen. I realized my mistake almost immediately, but he wouldn’t let me go, so…”
“So…?”
“I broke his nose—accidentally.”
“You mean on purpose,” said Will, feeling a small bit of satisfaction.
Selene frowned. “I hit him on purpose, but I didn’t mean to break his nose, so it was an accident.”
“What did you hit him with?”
“My forehead. I jerked away and headbutted him.” Will began to laugh, but she went on, “Anyway, it turns out his uncle is rather important, so my stay there became something of a problem. Your bargain with my father to get rid of the heart-stone enchantment couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Will studied her for a moment, then spotted a small cut on her forehead. It looked to be just a few days old. “Is this from the headbutt?”
She nodded, with pouting lips and large, woeful eyes. “Think it will scar?”
He smiled, then kissed the wound. “I hope so. For me it will be a splendid reminder of your love. For others it can serve as a warning.”
Selene rolled her eyes again. “No one will know what it’s from.”
“You can wear a sign,” he suggested helpfully, laughing when she punched him.
“I don’t want an ugly scar,” she lamented. “At least not there, right in the middle of my forehead.” Will pointed at his cheek, which still retained a long, silvery mark from a coachwhip in his childhood. “That’s different. It’s actually sort of dashing,” she commented.
“Well, I’ve been thinking for a while that you needed to be uglied up a little bit anyway,” said Will.
Her mouth went wide, into an ‘o’ of surprise. “What does that mean?” she demanded.
“You’re too pretty. I was thinking you should start wearing sackcloth dresses, or maybe chop your hair up, but a scar would probably do just as well.” He grinned. “We have to find some way to keep the men from chasing you constantly.”
She growled. “Is that really what you think? And if I’m ugly, what’s going to keep you chasing me then?”
“That’s easy. I’m not after you for your looks.” She smiled, but then he continued, “I’m actually after you for your money and the wild sex.” Selene tackled him, and they wrestled for a moment before he cried uncle, laughing as he capitulated. “I repent, I repent! It’s actually your inner beauty, your intelligence and personality.”
“I’ll show you some personality!” she warned.
He held up his arms. “Please, no. I surrender. I can’t take any more personality. Maybe in a few hours.”
She stood up and snatched the bedcovers away, exposing him to the air. “Weakling!” she declared imperiously, though her eyes were twinkling.
It was then that the door opened. Janice stood there, her expression blank, while Tiny stood behind her with a clear view over her head. Moving without haste, he put one hand over Janice’s eyes, then helped her back out of the doorway. From behind them, Laina’s voice called, “What is it? Is he in there?” Her head darted around the doorframe for a second, then her cheeks reddened, and she jerked back. Tiny’s hand appeared—then slowly closed the door.
Will and Selene had remained frozen, but now they looked at one another, exchanging embarrassed looks. Through the door, Will could hear their friends talking. “I’m scarred for life. I’ll never be able to unsee that,” said Laina.
Janice’s tone was calmer. “At least he didn’t have to pee this time.”
Tiny simply laughed.
A short while later, the married couple timidly emerged from Selene’s bedroom. Laina hurried to give her best friend a long hug, while Will attempted to shift the focus elsewhere. “Is anyone hungry?”
Tiny’s eyes lit up, but Laina had more pressing concerns. “Not anymore,” she said harshly. “Where have you been?”