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Oh. Right. “Well, in my defense, he came to me. Blackbird told me I couldn’t afford to snub him and then he taught me to dance.”
“Did he now? Which required you to engage in a conversation that ultimately led to him owing you a favor, which can only mean that you discussed what you knew about Cecily’s demise.”
“Pretty much, yes.”
“At least the favor will be useful in the days ahead. We shall have to discuss it with him when he arrives for the wedding.”
“I haven’t agreed yet.” I bit my tongue on that, kicking myself for adding that telling “yet.”
“You will.” Rogue’s voice held a smile, which made me want to kickhim.
“Besides, even if I do agree—which I haven’t—the ceremony can be small and private.”
“No, it can’t. Because—and incidentally I’ve moved this up to the sixth reason—we need to make a show of solidarity. Everyone must see the culmination of the true love tale and know that we will stand together against Titania. This is a crucial strategy.”
I narrowed my eyes at him—a wasted gesture since he had his eyes closed, his face in profile to me. “It’s you who’s been spreading those ‘true love’ rumors all this time.”
“Any and all tools at my disposal, clever Gwynn.”
“Do you even believe in true love?” It occurred to me that when he spoke of “true love,” it flavored differently than when we’d agreed we loved each other.
“As opposed to false love?”
He had a point. Even I had no idea what people meant by it. I’d bet money that they didn’t either.
“Okay, let me recap here. The essence of your argument is that to protect me and the kid—to keep us from becoming a kind of wild-card token in this bizarre game—you need me to be married to you.”
“One essence, yes.”
“Aha! But Blackbird and Fergus were married and she still had to give up Baby Brody to the Big Bitch. Marriage did nothing to protect them.”
Rogue cracked an eye open, blue glittering through thick black lashes. “It protected them from everyone but Titania. She is in a category of her own.”
“Isn’t she always?” I muttered.
“If you’re finished debating, I’ll continue.”
“I’m never finished debating.”
“One of the many things I love about you.”
That simple declaration hit me like an arrow to the heart. I buried my reaction as deep as I could, not wanting him to know how much it affected me. If he’d made his list six things he loved about me, I would have caved by number four. Who could have predicted I’d be this person? I’d always taken refuge in logic. Been the one to make jokes about love not registering on the oscilloscope. Now I’d become emotionally vulnerable in some profound change of character. Had it happened when my cruel teachers destroyed my will to teach me control?
Or was it Rogue?
Abruptly I realized that Iwouldmarry him. Because, on a fundamental level, I couldn’t really refuse him anything. Not that I would ever let him know that.
But I didn’t say so yet. I wanted to hear the rest of these supersecret reasons. He’d been quiet while I thought, waiting for the go-ahead, apparently.
“Okay, number seven. Hit me.”
Fortunately that one translated just fine.
“This one you already know, as I mentioned it previously. Once we are married we can dispense with bargains and trades between us, which will felicitate the eighth reason—that we will also be able to share power more easily and fully. That combination may be the tipping point for effectively shielding the child and defeating Titania once and for all.”
“A compelling reason.” In a flash, his hands seized me, lifting me to straddle his lap. Dizzy with the surprise, my claws scraped with a nerve-jangling screech on the stone pool edge as I balanced myself.
“Are you saying yes?” The question came out as a demand, harsh with emotion. The force of it shook me, but I persevered.
