“Call me Syera. Do you watch Tiers yourself?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I could not afford to be away from my smithy to watch. But your abilities are much talked about in the realms. I look forward to watching your victory in the last round.”
“What will happen to your smithy now?” I asked.
Raes sat, and his small smile faded. “My family will run it.”
Hmm.“Will they succeed in that?”
He swallowed. “They will learn how, or fail.”
Which was a no. “I see.”
Gratia’s mate-intended was yet to learn what power he wielded, and teaching him was Gratia’s job. I glanced at her and found the princess picking at a salad—the demon version—which was a variety of barely cooked meat tossed with seasoning.
I sighed happily as the silence thickened again. “We should do this more. The whole family together at last.”
Athira deepened her scowl at Raes, and Gratia was now glaring ather.
Best family lunch ever. I snorted, then coughed to cover it. “How’s work, dear?”
Carmine only seemed to realize I meant him when everyone briefly interrupted their ire to look at him. “Huh?”
That word wasn’t in the demon vocabulary. “Work, darling. How is your day going?”
He narrowed his gaze, then decided to play along. “There is progress.”
“In the war you’re losing?”
Carmine’s nostrils flared. “Yes. Any other questions?”
I picked some cheese, meat, and fruit. “Just interested.”
Silence again.Sothick.
I couldn’t take it. I snorted again. Whose idea was this? Another snort, and then I struggled to clamp down on laughter so hard and for so long that sweat broke out on my forehead.
Shit.
Carmine glared at me. Gratia glared at Athira. Athira glared at Raes. Raes looked like he’d give his smithy away if it meant escaping this situation.
Nope.A woman could only take so much.
I erupted in hoots, slapping the table. Shit, where was a napkin? The tablecloth would have to do. I dabbed at the tears streaming down my face. When the blur of them was gone, I peeked up to glimpse Carmine’s grin.
Hisgrin?
I blanched, and in the next second, he’d hidden the grin behind a scowl.
Ugh,he was amused by this too. Which meant I suddenly didn’t find this funny anymore. We weren’t about to share personal jokes again.
Gratia slammed her cutlery on the table. “Mother, just say what you wish to say and be rid of your glaring!”
Athira broke away from her scowling to answer, “You are a princess and therefore too good for him. I do not wish to see you in a weak match where you cannot rely on your mate to protect you. Sever the mating and move on. There are many whochoosetheir partner in life. There will be many great matches available to you.”
Yikes.
Gratia surged to her feet. “I do not question the wisdom of our mating, Mother. Who are you to do so?”
