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Alisdair tore off a bite of beef, grinning at me. “This I know.”
I PUSHED AWAY THE REMAINSof my meal, letting out another belch. I was stuffed to the gills. Couldn’t eat another bite if I tried, and I’d never been able to say that in my life.
“Twenty minutes.” Alisdair picked food out of his unnaturally long and jagged teeth with his claws. “I’m feeling generous tonight.”
Nodding, I pushed away from the table. “Bradach, come with me, please. I need your help with something.”
Bradach stiffened. “My lady, I live to serve you, but I humbly ask that you not mark me and use me for a decoy. I’d rather not spend another fortnight on a mountain.”
Half the table jumped up from their seats, readying to run away from me.
“That’s not— I wasn’t going to!” I cried. “I just want to talk to you, I swear. I’ll keep my hugs to myself.”
Narrowed eyes held suspicion. Slowly he rose from the table and followed me out, keeping a healthy distance between us. When we were far enough away from Alisdair’s earshot, I rounded on him.
“How do you do it?” I demanded. “One minute, Aeris can’t stand the sight of you, and the next it’s a good thing she’s sitting because she’s about to pass out from swooning. How do I do that? How do I get Alisdair to... do that?” I finished, flushing deep.
Bradach frowned at me, then his brows smoothed out. “Oh, I see. You’re asking me how to make him fall in love with you.”
I don’t know why him stating it plainly made me want to run and hide, but I didn’t. I simply nodded.
“And you’ve come to me because I’m his closest companion and most trusted advisor.” He puffed out his chest, ever the vain, cocky raven. “I’m flattered, my queen, and more than happy to help, but we men are grossly simple creatures.”
“What do you mean?”
“We all want what we can’t have,” he explained. “Our lord already has you, or so he thinks.” Bradach smirked, winking. “Make him know he doesn’t, and that he has to work, bleed, and sweat to have you. All the things he will discover through want of winning you will naturally lead to love, for how could any man who knows you, not love you?”
My face warmed, heart fluttering in my chest. Oh yes, I could definitely understand how Bradach was thawing the ice around Aeris’s heart.
“Thank you,” I said lightly. “That’s... good advice.”
Aeris and Eadaoin chose that moment to come around the corner, looking for me.
Bradach gave me one last bow and a wink, kissed Aeris’s blushing cheek, and walked off.
My companions fell in step with me as I burped my way through the halls, pinching Aeris’s lips tighter and tighter. Eadaoin couldn’t hold back her giggles at the both of us.
“You continue to surprise me, Lady Ana,” Eadaoin said. “But how will you tackle your daring escape in this state? I could practically roll you down the hall.”
I laughed. “No running, no rolling, no daring escape. I have something else planned for Alisdair tonight.”
Fifteen minutes later, a large hulking shadow crossed the threshold of our bedroom. He observed me reclined on the bed—relaxed.
“What manner of trick is this?” Alisdair breathed deep, scenting a trap. “Why are you lying there? Why aren’t you running or hiding in a pile of manure?”
“That was an act of desperation that I’ll never repeat again,” I snapped. “Mostly because it didn’t work.”
He circled me, back gliding against the wall—keeping me in sight. “And what about this is supposed to work?” Alisdair chuckled. “Let me guess. You’re going to suddenly leap off the bed and throw yourself off the cliff where Bradach will be waiting to fly you away?”
I smiled back. “Now that’s good. I probably would’ve done just that if Bradach wasn’t wary of me by now. But no, I have something else planned for tonight.”
Alisdair tensed like I was going to attack him. His lips peeled back, growls leaking through his fangs as he readied for my strike.
“Woo me.”
The growls stopped. “Excuse me?”
“Seduce me, husband.” I peeled back my robe, letting it fall off my shoulder. I wore it and nothing else. “If you want to have me... you’ll have to earn it.”
