“If you ask Durae for coin to finish this prototype and my approval is not granted, I will reconsider my opinion of you,” Lady Mae warned.
Blaze nodded so deeply he slightly bowed at her. His nerves were making him ridiculous. That was when he noticed she wasn’t nervous and hadn’t been for some time. He frowned. “Lady Mae, if I may, were you anxious before? Or pretending to be?”
“My anxiety was genuine.” Lady Mae picked up Durae’s soiled rosy pink robe and folded it. Grinning, she told him, “But my fears were eased upon looking at your creation. If you can love my son with half the care and thought that goes into an invention that complex, then he will be among the luckiest in love on the continent.”
Kidd and Durae emerged from the house. Blaze tried not to watch Durae’s every movement, but knowing the hurdle of his family was past them, he couldn’t help but hungrily drink in the sight of him. His heart soared, and he leaned over the rail to offer Durae a chaste kiss as he came close.
Durae smiled and quickly kissed him before regarding his mother. “We have your approval?”
“You do,” Lady Mae said. “But you will still attend the market’s events. Blaze isoneof your options, not your only guiding star, understood?”
“But Mama?—”
“She’s not wrong,” Blaze said. Durae gave him a surprised look. “In order to choose me, you have to know your other suitors. We can spend time here, and I will make an effort to go to events.”
“And Durae will spend at least a few nights in his bed at the innalone. I won’t have him making cock-drunk decisions.” Lady Mae cast a quick spell to levitate off the ship and onto the dock. She took a few coins out of her pocket and offered them to Kidd. “Could you do my family a favor and acquire a few decent items for him to traverse the market square in? Simple clothes and shoes will be acceptable. But they should beclean. A commoner’s clothes are no insult, but stained ones are dreadful.”
Kidd’s jaw was tight, and he clenched his hand around the gold. “I could do that, my lady.”
“I’ve seen you at the events,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Blaze has a good head on his shoulders. I doubt he would work for someone who isn’t as principled as he is. The coin is to cover the cost of the clothing. For doing my family a great favor, I’m more than happy to introduce you to others,” Lady Mae said.
“Oh!” Kidd lost his annoyed expression. “That would be wonderful, Lady Navisora.”
She nodded once and began walking toward the road. “You will be back by early afternoon so you can prepare for dinner, Durae. If you aren’t, I will not be polite when I come to collect you.”
Once she was well out of earshot, Durae said, “Did my mother actually say she doesn’t want me to make cock-drunk decisions? Those were her actual words?”
“Yup,” Kidd said. He rolled the coins she’d given him around in his hand.
“You promised to show up to events.” Durae turned to look up at Blaze.
As soon as their eyes met, Blaze knew he’d given away his heart. He brushed a stray hair off Durae’s forehead. “She wants to take a look at the schematics before you can take the ship into the air with me.”
“A little overprotective, but my mother is a renowned cosmomancer.” Durae leaned into Blaze’s touch, putting his hand on top of Blaze’s. “Kidd looked like he was going to throw those coins back in her face.”
“I’ve been dealing with a lot of high-and-mighty nobles the last three days,” Kidd grumbled. “Thought your mom was the same for a second there. But if she’s willing to introduce me and accept Blaze as one of your suitors, then she at least knows how to treat everyone decent enough. I think I know where I can get you some clothes. Won’t take me too long. Please remember that no one minds hearing you fuck in the middle of the night, but the middle of the morning is far more annoying.”
“We won’t have sex,” Durae said dutifully. Then he smirked. “Probably.”
“We won’t,” Blaze replied. “Because I want to make sure things are squared away before the elflings get here, and you wanted to look at my schematics.”
“Oh! Magic! Almost as fun as sex.” Durae scrambled onto the deck, nearly tripping on the railing.
Blaze caught him, kissed him quickly again, and then steadied him on his feet.
A little longer and a little more work, and he would have more than he’d dared ever dream. Even without a completed airship, he was floating.
CHAPTER 14
Blaze had his hand on the small of Durae’s back while Durae had one knee on his chair as he leaned on the table and pointed at a distant part of the schematic.
The last week had beenexhausting. There had been games and duels in which elves had shown off their prowess. Durae had been delighted at the caber toss but shocked that no one was using magic to win. It was an astonishing feat of athleticism he was still trying to figure out.
Durae had also been going out to Blaze’s ship every spare minute he could find. Thankfully, Blaze was showing up to events. Some suitors had even shifted their pursuit to others once they saw Blaze and Durae together. Vespan had been shocked to see Blaze with him but had done his best to be friendly. Durae had a sneaky suspicion that Vespan was not very versed in having friends. At the Gearwickian dance, Blaze had actually known one of the dances, proving that he wasn’t as clumsy as Durae had thought. If they’d had the time, he would have taught Blaze a Dun Steorran dance in preparation for the next night.
