Page 34 of The Purrfect Rival

“That’s rare.” Kalyna handed him a wet plate. “He doesn’t share those with outsiders.”

“I gathered.” Rust placed the dish in the cabinet she’d indicated. “He also asked about my intentions toward you.”

THIRTY

Kalyna nearly dropped the glass she was washing. “He what?”

“Asked my intentions.” Rust’s tone remained casual, though his eyes held intensity when they met hers. “A reasonable question given recent events.”

“There’s nothing reasonable about interrogating dinner guests about their ‘intentions,’’ Kalyna retorted, scrubbing the glass with more force than necessary. “This isn’t the nineteenth century.”

“No, but it is a close-knit magical community with ancient traditions.” Rust took the glass from her hands before she could crack it. “I didn’t mind.”

“Well, I do,” Kalyna turned to face him fully. “I’ve spent decades establishing myself as a capable, independent leader in this town. I don’t need my father vetting my... my...”

“Your what?” Rust prompted, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

“My connections,” she finished lamely, suddenly aware of how close they stood.

Their hands met beneath the soapy water as they both reached for the same utensil. The contact sent a jolt ofmagic through them both—water droplets rising from the sink, twisting into miniature shapes of foxes and lions that danced through the air before dissolving into crimson-gold sparkles.

“Oh!” Marisol’s voice came from the doorway, her expression a mixture of wonder and concern.

Kalyna jumped back, water splashing onto her dress. Rust steadied her with a hand on her elbow, his touch sending another ripple of magic between them.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Marisol whispered, her gaze fixed on the fading magical display. “Not since the founding stories...”

“It’s a magical interaction that requires further study,” Kalyna stated, professional mask sliding into place. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I’ll finish here,” Marisol offered, amusement evident in her voice. “You two join Winston on the porch for evening tea.”

When her mother busied herself at the sink, Rust leaned down to whisper in Kalyna’s ear. “Are we in trouble?”

Despite her determination to maintain composure, Kalyna laughed. “No. But if she starts talking about traditional fox mating rituals, run.”

“Would those rituals involve more riddles?” Rust asked, one eyebrow arched.

“Worse,” Kalyna replied, leading him toward the porch door. “They involve dancing around moonlit trees while creating illusion tails for your potential mate to chase. Very undignified for a lion mayor.”

“I don’t know,” Rust mused. “I can be undignified for the right cause.”

The casual comment sent a wave of heat through Kalyna that had nothing to do with magic.

They foundWinston on the porch, setting a tea tray beside the swing. Echo sprawled in a nearby chair, pretending to read while obviously eavesdropping.

“I understand you visited the warehouse on the outskirts of town,” Winston began.

“Yes,” Rust confirmed. “Based on Hezron’s intelligence, we believed Boz had men using it as a transfer point.”

“And you found?”

“Evidence confirming his interest in fox magic,” Rust replied. “Specifically, transference methods.”

Kalyna set her cup down with more force than intended. “Which makes no sense. Fox and lion magic have fundamentally different energy signatures. You can’t simply transfer one to the other—it would be like trying to power a flashlight with a banana.”

“Yet your two magics seem quite compatible,” Winston observed mildly.

“That’s interaction, not transference,” Kalyna countered. “Our magical signatures respond to each other but maintain separate identities.”

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