Page 74 of Poisoned Empire
When he sat companionably across from her on the veranda, she closed up her expression. He hoped one day she wouldn’t feel the need to do so. Maybe she would remain in the capital long enough for him to see that day. He took a deep breath and offered her his heart.
“I want you to consider staying here.”
Fuck. That wasn’t precisely what he wanted to say. Selene stared, brows furrowing with puzzlement.
“Of course. Isn’t breakfast on its way?”
He bit back a groan of frustration.
“I meant in the long term. I would like you to stay with me, here in Nadioch, even after this is all over.”
Selene stilled. Her eyes misted, lost and vulnerable. Gods he wished she would let him hold her. She turned away, a neutral mask in place when she spoke.
“I’m sure your praetor would strenuously object.”
“The praetor doesn’t decide my future, or yours. Would you like to stay here, with me?” he asked.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so exposed. It was as terrifying as it was necessary. If he wanted a real relationship with her, he knew he would have to be the first to bare his soul. Her prickly, defensive nature demanded nothing less.
“I…”
“You don’t need to answer right away. Think it over and-”
“I would.”
His heart skipped a beat, and then beat so fast he was certain it would fly out of his chest. His smile was irrepressible. Selene blushed, then growled.
“Stop that. Don’t get a fat head just because I said I’d stick around. If I do, you’ll have to do something about that green-eyed bastard. The last person who pissed me off as much died.”
Belisarius didn’t like the sound of that. Had Nicephorus been excessively antagonistic? No longer.
“I’ll see that his attitude changes.”
Selene nodded loftily and then began fussing with her hair, the red creeping down her neck and up to the tips of her ears. He found it endearing, watching her badly hide her self-consciousness in his presence. A facet he hadn’t seen yet. When she stopped mid-stroke of a strand, he could see that her mind was buzzing.
“Speaking of attitude adjustments, do you want me to make good on my insurance policy against Magister Amethyst?”
“Your what?” Belisarius asked, blindsided.
“I figured he’d try to kill me at some point, so I seeded his estate with enchanted poison. If I die or stop holding it back, then they’ll bloom and kill everyone on the estate. Probably all of the surrounding land as well, and perhaps the nearest village, if the winds are just right.”
“I’d, uh, prefer not to endanger innocents if possible, but I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied, wondering at his own sanity for wanting her still.
“If you say so. When this is over, can I have Magister Sapphire?”
“We will need him alive to interrogate him and formally sentence him.”
This was not how he’d envisioned their conversation going when he’d lain awake in the night, planning how to ask her to stay without scaring her off with words likerelationshiporpermanent.
She waved her hand lazily in the air.
“I mean after that. I have business with him.”
“When he’s no longer of use, then you may do as you like,” Belisarius replied. Magister Sapphire was to be sentenced to death anyway. It didn’t matter who had a hand in it, just that it was done.
“Excellent. Also-”
A loud and urgent knocking interrupted her.
