“Why not?” I find myself asking.
“Because—” Her fingers tighten around her mug. “We’ll find some other way.”
Cato sighs. “Ceres . . .”
“No.”
“How long have we been friends?”
“We’re not friends,” she snaps.
He flinches.
“Nonna!” I gasp.
“Friends can be trusted.” She fusses with her shawl, eyes averted from Cato, who’s observing her in stunned silence. “You’re in Justus Rossi’s employ, Cato.”
“Everyone needs to make a living, Ceres.” When, after a full minute, nothing more is said, he rises from his seat. “Thank you for the warm beverage.”
Nonna doesn’t acknowledge his gratitude, the same way she doesn’t meet his stare as he retreats.
I smile at him. “Goodnight, Cato. And thank you.”
He gazes at my grandmother one last time before letting himself out.
After the door shuts, I whip back toward Nonna. “That was rude.”
“Cato is a boy, Fallon.”
“He’s a hundred and seven!”
“Like I said, he’s a boy. And like I said”—she places her forearms on the table—“he’s in your grandfather’s employ. Do you want him to get in trouble?”
“You reject him to protect him?” My lashes scrape my browbone. “So if he wasn’t working for—”
“A gold piece.” She stares into the glass teapot at the frolicking sprigs and petals which have bloated in the piping hot water.
I lean back and fold my arms. “You could probably get a nice sum for the gown Dante dropped off for me. That is, if you haven’t asked our fire-Fae neighbors to incinerate it yet.”
She swallows.
So my blame wasn’t misplaced. “He asked me out on a date by the way.”
That makes her look up from her tea.
“I said yes. Perhaps I can get him to pay Timeus—”
“Never be in a man’s debt, Fallon.Never. And no, I didn’t burn your dress. It’s hanging in your mother’s closet. I’ll take it to the market tomorrow to see how much we can get for it.” After a beat, she asks, “What happened with Antoni?”
“We parted ways.” I catch her peering into the mug she set in front of me. “So, are you going to finally reveal the secret behind this horrid drink? If it was to punish me for going to Rax—”
“It’s a tonic that’ll keep your womb empty for a moon cycle.”
In spite of my sodden dress, heat creeps up my neck. “Oh.”
“Aren’t you glad I didn’t go into details in front of Cato?” There’s a glint to her eyes I haven’t seen in forever.
“Well I had no need for it.”
