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She scrunched her face. “Clingy thing, isn’t he?”
Lomar choked as he tried to not laugh. “Actually, this is a first.”
Her lips curved. “I’d better go soothe him. Good day.”
“Good luck,” Lomar said as she exited to find a scowling warlord stalking down the hall towards her, the soldiers splitting apart to give him a clear path.
She waved and quipped, “You hollered?”
“What are you doing?”
She held up the sketches. “Sketching the images I needed.”
“You shouldn’t have come alone,” he muttered as she joined him on the walk back to the main level.
“I don’t need you to protect me. I am perfectly capable, and besides, you seemed rather busy with your mother.” She tried to not snicker.
“My mother.” He sighed. “First she was convinced I’d installed my concubine in the citadel, then when I reassured her that you were here on business, she went on a rant about how it wasn’t proper for me to deal with a woman and to send you back and ask for a man.”
“We have no male witches, although, I do hear they exist. Would you like me to leave so you can find one?”
“No,” he growled. “My mother doesn’t get to decide how I rule or who I treat with.”
“Does she know that?”
For a second, she thought she might have gone too far for he abruptly stopped.
Then laughed.
“No, she does not,” he chuckled. “I think she’s part of the reason why my father stepped down. He got tired of her being in his ear, constantly challenging his edicts.”
“I hope you reassured her that I was here on business only and not to seduce her son.”
“I did, but knowing her, by this evening she’ll be trying to introduce me to more women of marriageable age.”
“How kind of her.”
He slewed her a look. “How is that kind? I don’t need her matchmaking.”
“Are you sure about that? After all, you aren’t getting any younger and I assume you want at least one heir.”
He grimaced. “I do, but the thought of binding myself to one person…”
“I’m sure you can find one that will turn a blind eye to your philandering. I hear it’s quite common with the royals elsewhere.”
“I would never betray my vow,” he snapped. “It’s more I haven’t found a woman that I can tolerate for any length of time.”
“I can see how that would be a problem.” The fact he wanted a wife he liked was actually a point in his favor.
“What of you? Do witches marry?”
“Some do, however, most forgo binding themselves and just have children.”
“Children need a father.”
“Do they? Mine died when I was young, mother, too, and I think I turned out just fine.”
“That’s a matter of opinion,” his low rejoinder.
