“The people on the TV shows we watch say that kind of stuff all the time.” Torion shrugged his shoulders. “What’s the big deal?”
Skender stepped up beside Tenia. “The big deal is that using vulgar language in order to intimidate your opponent is unnecessary. Your skill will be enough to do that. As soon as they realize that no matter how hard they try, they will not best you, your opponent will back down. Or, if they’re foolish, they will continue to fight until you defeat them.”
“What’s vulgar mean?” Torion asked.
“It means not okay.” Tenia sighed, trying to make the explanation as simple as possible. “Vulgar means words that arenotokay for a child to say.”
“But a grown up can say them?” Torion tapped his chin with a small finger. “How come? If they are not nice, then why should you be able to say them, but I can’t?”
Skender snorted and mumbled, “He’s got you there.”
She elbowed him in the stomach. “You were helping. You aren’t now.”
Tenia watched as Skender walked to Torion and put his hands on the child’s shoulders. “An adult knows when it’s appropriate to use those kinds of words.”
“So…” Torion’s face scrunched up, and the boy was clearly trying to digest what they were telling him. “Sometimes it’s okay… to be not okay?”
“Yes,” Skender said. “That’s exactly right. Sometimes there’s a time and a place to call someone an asswipe.”
“When?”
“Well”—Skender pursed his lips for a moment—“when you’re facing someone like Alston who reallyisan asswipe.”
“Could we please stop saying asswipe?” Tenia rubbed her temples with her thumbs as if the action alone could make the awkward conversation disappear.
Torion pointed at her. “Youjust said it.”
“Good grief.” She snapped. “Apologize to Stedan, now. He did not deserve to be called a name.”
Torion turned to his sparring partner. The boy’s shoulders rolled forward, and his chin lowered. “I’m sorry, Stedan, You’re not an asswipe.”
“Mother of pearl.” Tenia rolled her eyes. “Quit saying it, Torion.”
“No worries, little man,” the warlock male said. He smiled at her son. “I shouldn’t tell you it was funny, but I don’t like to lie.”
Torion grinned. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell my mom,” he said, as if she wasn’t standing a few feet away.
“Torion, it’s time to eat and then get ready for bed,” Skender said. Tenia could tell Skender was picking up her growing irritation through their bond.
“Okay, Dad.” Torion waved at Stedan. “Same time tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
Torion headed off, and Tenia sighed, exhaustion setting into her bones. She did not know why she was so tired, considering all they did most days was spar and just hang out. It was weird to have so much time on her hands. “I’m going to kill that cotton-candy-obsessed djinn,” she told Skender.
“You have to admit, itwaskind of funny.” Skender laughed and took her hand. His touch elicited feelings she was still adjusting to. Mostly a level of desire that often scared her because she felt so out of control of her need for him. Something that he, at times, exploited shamelessly.
“It most certainly wasnotfunny.” She tried to pull her hand from his. He wasn’t having it. Skender loved touching her and did it as often as he could. Not that she was complaining. Before Skender, the only person who showed her any affection was Torion. Even Torion’s father had never elicited such feelings and emotions in Tenia.
“Is there a specific reason you’re thinking about Torion’s birth father?” Skender’s tone was carefully bland, as if he didn’t want to upset her.
She shrugged. “I was just comparing you two.”
His hand tightened momentarily on hers, but then relaxed. “In what way?”
Tenia could feel his jealousy and possessiveness. This was something else that was new to her. Fae weren’t possessive, at least not that she’d ever experienced. She found a certain amount of comfort in knowing where she stood with Skender. He claimed her as his mate, and he and his wolf were very vocal about reinforcing that sentiment regularly. “You’re much touchier.” She lifted their joined hands as they walked toward the suite they shared with Torion. Their quarters had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, and a living room. It was miles better than any accommodations they’d been given while being held hostage by the Order.
“Does it bother you?”
