Page 34 of Carnal: The Beast Who Loved Me

Carnal looked between Rosie and Free and said, “What?!?”

Rosie looked at Carnal. “Don’t tell me. You don’t know what a frog is.”

“Look,” Serene interrupted, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction. “We have a plan. Rosie’s going to visit the barn and decide what feels right, but I’m hoping she can teach something like, well, like innovation, different ways of thinking about things.”

Carnal looked at Rosie, but addressed his mother. “What makes you think she knows anything aboutinnovation?”

“Carnal!” Serene’s tone had taken a marked change toward warning, “You’re being rude.”

“Not intending to be rude. Just trying to find out why you think Exiled young could benefit from human teachings.”

Rosie wasn’t sure why Carnal seemed suddenly hostile. Serene stood up and bared her fangs. “Who’s in charge of education, Carnal?”

“You are, Mom.”

That was the first time Rosie had heard one of the sons address a parent with a title of endearment, but she didn’t have to wonder why. Serene was scary when she got her fur up.

“That’s right.I’min charge. Who teaches and what they teach is up to me. I don’t tell you…” She stopped dead still as if recognition of what she’d been about to say was as painful as an appendectomy without anesthesia.

“That’s right, Mom,” Carnal said quietly and calmly. “You give me respect. I crossed a line and I’m sorry. I do respect what you do and how you do it.”

If he wasn’t sincere, he fooled Rosie because she would swear that he meant what he was saying. Somewhere in her treasure trove of memories was one of her father saying he wouldn’t give two dimes for a man who didn’t know how to apologize when he needed to. He’d also said the same about a man who would treat his mother badly.

Serene relaxed visibly and sat back down. Free all but smirked at his son openly. Rosie took that to mean that he’d been on the receiving end of Serene’s displeasure himself.

“This venison is perfection,” Free said, with an upbeat tone that seemed out of place in light of the recent exchange.

Everybody looked at him for a minute, then burst out laughing. The tension was broken and, just like that, it was over.

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