Page 59 of Out of Sight

“Right. But they mate with other species?”

“Completely. They don’t mate back into ogre lines. They aren’t attracted to their own kind. They want their partners soft and weak. It is easier to threaten them with being eaten.”

“Oh. Gross. Do you know any nice ogres?”

“Five. They all refuse to introduce me to their families, which means they hold me in affection.”

“All mages?”

“You are very clever.”

She beamed. “Not just a marble face.”

He took her plate and set it on the mantle, hugging her. “You aren’t marble. You are stone to flesh. You are flesh now.”

She smiled. “Fine. I will put that on the list of affirmations.”

“May I ask some of the things on the list?”

“Basically, if someone compliments me, take it. Agree with them. Thank them if necessary.”

He whispered as he held her. “You are gorgeous, you are strong, you are fierce, and you are a survivor.”

She looked up at him. “I am gorgeous, I am strong, I am fierce, and I am a survivor. Yes, thank you.”

He smiled and brushed a soft kiss on her lips. She went up on her toes, and he chuckled. “Don’t worry. I am built for this.”

There was a soft knock at the door.

Lucia grinned. “I was built for cake.”

He chuckled and let her go to answer the door. Lucia blinked. Avor, Ira, and Regis were standing there, each holding a bag. Ira grinned. “I brought the ice cream.”

Yorwell looked at Avor. “Really?”

He shrugged. “They heard a mention of another woman in the same situation.”

Lucia nodded. “She’s stable. If everyone is ready for another morning curse breaking, we can do it just after dawn.”

Regis nodded. “Good. Now, can we share dessert?”

Yorwell sighed and opened the door. “Come on in.”

Lucia smiled. “We are having something my mother would never let me have.”

Ira looked at her. “What’s that?”

“Pie, cake, and ice cream.”

“Oh, what kind of pie?”

Lucia smiled and walked her to the kitchen. “Meat pies.”

Ira brought the ice cream, and Regis brought boxes and boxes of cakes. When the table was covered, an ice cream scooper was provided by Yorwell, and they all picked what looked like a favourite.

Yorwell wrapped his arm around her waist and grinned as Avor was making happy noises going over the leftover pies. “We may need to seek out new leftovers tomorrow.”

“Yeah, that is looking likely.”