Yiti paused, then smiled, “Yes, he will. That will be great torture for a demon of such vanity.”
If only I could figure out the ultimate torture for Carmine. We’d used our power and smoke in the bedroom before, but I’d never guessed how sensitive I’d be to it now.
One little touch.
I didn’t want to admit that Carmine was as surprised as I’d been, but I knew he’d been taken aback too.
His guilt had earned me an entire day without seeing him. Our deal was off, so I’d trained in the dirt garden, not attended the war council, and also had skipped the banquet last night.
All without “consequence.”
Yet here I was in a dress fitting for my joining gown. There was no way that I’d go through the intention ceremony now.
Perhaps after winning Tiers, I could set the dress alight for the crowd to see. They’d enjoy that.
Yiti and Tewewh worked in silence, and the purple demon obeyed the soft direction of the handless blue. Tewewh was diligent in her work and strove for perfection, but Yiti held the true genius. Instead of being jealous, though, the purple was content to piggyback on Yiti’s talent. They’d formed the perfect demon friendship. “Who is head tailor now?” I asked.
Tewewh answered with a name, and when I tilted my head, she added, “She’s a red. Not bad. Not great. Yiti turned it down.”
Yiti dipped her head. “I would prefer to design for you, Mate-Intended. In fact, I had hoped to show you a finished garment. One to wear in the final round of Tiers.”
She walked to a pile of fabric and extracted an outfit from beneath it.
I pulled a face. “I don’t wear nipple string.”
“Notnipple string,” she retorted, then held the garment up. “The top does cross over your breasts and under your ribs. The skirt appears like a strip of material wrapped around, but it is one piece, and you will find it neither rides up nor restricts your movement.”
Really? One kick to the jugular would flash my demon goods to the crowd. That was if my tits didn’t wave hello. “You can leave it here. I’ll consider it.”
“Try it on, and you’ll feel what I mean.”
The words were almost,almostan order. I raised a brow, and Tewewh hushed a warning at her friend.
Yiti seemed to recollect who I was. She curtsied hastily. “If you like.”
My shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “Is it your passion for design that overrides your senses?”
She shook her head. “No, Mate-Intended. I am color blind.”
Huh!“That’s… fascinating. No color at all?”
“Never.”
I glanced at the fabrics. “How the hell do you design clothing?”
“My magic tells me what I need.”
And her vision robbed her of the ability to identify a powerful demon at a glance. Wonderfully, that had also gifted her a defiance that now made complete sense.
Before I could ask, Yiti said, “I classify demons by their posture. Crimsons and reds… walk a certain way.”
As if they had a stick up their ass? “I imagine.”
“How does a demon of black scales walk?” I asked.
She smiled. “As if she could be a yellow or a crimson. As if she is a hunter and a ghost. As if she will kill anyone who gets in her way.”
I rubbed my chin.Accurate.
