Page 19 of Devotion

“That would make things easier as long as you don’t mind having the conversation. If I try to tell him, he might not want to accept it. He doesn’t…”

Gabriel frowns again. “He doesn’t what?”

“He doesn’t treat partners like real people.”

The words hang in the air for a fraught moment.

Then he asks, “Is Poppy all right?”

“I… I don’t know. She’s doing her best. She’s trying really hard to do her job and focus on our higher calling. But it’s hard when…” I stop talking when my throat tightens and a tear slips down my cheek.

“Okay,” Gabriel says, soft and slightly thick. “I understand. Let me work on it.”

“What?”

“Let me work on it. I’ll take care of it.”

“But what can you?—”

He arches his eyebrows. “I said I’ll work on it.”

It’s clear he’s going to address the situation, but there’s nothing he can possibly do to fix this. One administrator can’t interfere in the way another treats his own partner.

But it’s still nice he wants to help. I return to my window alcove and pull out my knitting, feeling a little bit better.

I have absolutelyno idea what Gabriel did, but he must have done something. The next day, Poppy meets me for our walk, brimming with smiles.

She’s been swapped to one of the oldest administrators in the palace. He hasn’t chosen a new partner since his previous one died, and he’s no longer very interested in sex. He wants Poppy to snuggle with him before he sleeps at night, talk sweet to him, and bring him things when he needs them. And nothing else.

She’s so happy about the change she’s almost crying.

Cliff has been transferred out of the palace to work somewhere else in the Capital, so he no longer has a partner at all.

When I return after our walk and try to thank Gabriel for helping, he gives me a cool look. “I told you I’d take care of it.”

And that’s all he’s willing to say on the subject.

6

On Tuesday the following week,my forty-first day as Gabriel’s partner, he takes a shorter swim than normal because he has an early private meeting in the president’s office.

The morning meal has already been brought up when he’s done with his shower. He usually brings his clothes into the bathroom and puts them on in there, but he must be off schedule today because he forgot.

He’s wearing nothing but a towel around his waist as he walks into the main room. His hair is wet and pulled back at the nape of his neck in his normal style, and his body is very nice to look at.

I can’t help peeking as he comes over to the table to accept the glass of apple water I’ve poured him.

“Thanks, Jess,” he says, looking at me intently. “Your hair is down.”

I raise a hand to my hair, having momentarily forgotten. “Oh, I’m sorry. I usually do it while you’re swimming, but you came back early and then they brought breakfast, so I haven’t gotten it up yet.”

“I don’t mind. It looks nice.” He keeps slanting me little looks as he sips his drink.

I blush. I can feel the heat in my cheeks despite my mental lecture about keeping my composure. “Thank you. Barrett definitely wouldn’t approve.”

“What does he have to do with it?”

“He’s gives all potential partners a consultation as soon as they get to the palace about how to dress and do their hair and makeup so we look appropriate. He told me it’s important that I always wear my hair up so that I’ll look elegant and not…” I trail off, not because I can’t remember but because I’m suddenly reluctant to admit to Gabriel how Barrett described me.

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