“What does this mean?” Piers asked, handing over the water at Wycke’s “gimme” gesture. George lobbed a fork from the bar, which Wycke caught.
Chynne continued, “It means whoever is wearing Radre’s body wants you but doesn’t know you’ve joined, and we’ve now got a two for one sale going on.”
“Wait! Did you say joined?” Piers narrowed his eyes.
“Joined. Magically. You and Wycke. Have you found yourself irresistibly drawn to His Royal Annoyance?” Chynne asked.
Piers eyed Wycke with suspicion. “I thought that was just lust after a long dry spell!”
“Are you sure there’s no other way than death to sever the bond?” Saris asked.
“Only death will break the bond. Though elves believe the bond continues even then.” Chynne shot a glance at the elf, who seemed way too enthralled by the only non-magical in the room, then turned his attention back to Saris. He waved a paw at Wycke and Piers. “But look at them. How powerful they are together. Why break up the set?”
“Not to mention how intense, one dark and brooding, the other the life of the party,” Jess drew her attention away from the elf long enough to say. “I’d sure as hell read fanfic about them.”
Piers muttered quietly to himself, wearing a “thinking face.” Likely trying to work out the details in his possibly-still-hungover mind. The full implications finally hitting home wouldn’t be pretty.
It was time for a subject change before they found out exactly how much new information Piers could process before suffering a total meltdown. “Umm… You said you put up a protective spell, but is there any way Radre can track us here?” Wycke stopped chewing to ask.
“I’m not sure. I only got away by taking spider form.” If Chynne noticed Jess shrinking back and mouthing “spider?” he didn’t say so. “My shield will keep them out, but they might be able to pinpoint our location.”
“If you’re so powerful, and Piers’ familiar, why didn’t you just turn Radre into a toad or something?” Saris ventured. She darted a quick glance at Wycke. “Not that I’d want him to stay that way, mind you.”
Wycke couldn’t agree more.
Chynne arched his back, tail swishing, and let out a feline hiss. “Piers’ bond with Wycke makes Radre his brother-by-bonding. I can only act against family members to save my sorcerer’s life.”
Pretty damned inconvenient.
They all fell quiet except for the occasional giggle from Jess, George’s alternating slurps and belches, and the clatter of cutlery against Wycke’s plate. Wherever this steak came from, he’d take Piers there as a thank you when they got out of this mess.
Only, would the realm’s most powerful sorcerer abandon Wycke now? Maybe he’d been premature in changing the subject. “Chynne? How does this bond work? Is it a fidelity thing?”
“Oh, you can have sex with whomever you want.”
What a relief, in case Piers did decide to move up in the world. Realm. Whatever.
“It just won’t be much good without the ability to orgasm.” Did the cat have to sound so damned smug?
“What the hell?” Piers shouted, snapping back to the moment at hand. Based on the horror in his wide eyes, he’d put all the pieces into place. “Back the fuck up. Do you mean I’m married? Bonded? Joined, or what-the-hell-ever?” He waved a hand between himself and Wycke. “To him?”
Wycke paused in devouring his steak. “Well, you don’t have to act so insulted.” It might hurt a guy’s feelings, being so publicly rejected.
Saris’s scowl would’ve caused instant death had she possessed a fraction of Piers’ strength. “And what, exactly, is wrong with my brother? Excuse me. I mean His Royal Highness Wycke of house Bertillian,Princeof Myrgren?”
“Umm… guys?” Jess’s voice barely penetrated the heated discussion.
“Nothing, if I wanted to be married, I mean, mated or joined or whatever.” Piers waved his hands around while he spoke—which could be considered an insult in the right elf tribe.
“Guys?” Jess’s voice rose in pitch.
“What!” Saris and Piers both snapped.
All eyes went to Jess.
And the knife held to her throat.
CHAPTER THIRTY