Page 78 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong

Brannal laughed. “I’m not sure that’s the right use of the word ‘discreet.’”

“But look,” Perian pointed out. “It might have been you, it might have been Nisal, it might have been Molun or Rollanor. Whereas if I shoved people, they would probably notice.”

“I’m glad you figured that out, dear heart. Good job.”

Perian wrinkled his nose at Brannal, but the man just grinned at him. And Perian felt like melting into a ball of contentment, because Brannal had called him by an endearment, and now they were sitting side by side, close enough to touch.

“Ugh. You two are nauseating.”

Perian blinked. Cormal was across the table from them? What?

“How long have you been there?” he asked.

Cormal’s ears went red, and Perian winced a bit, because he honestly hadn’t meant that as an insult, he’d just kind of been… preoccupied.

Brannal stepped into the breach, saying, “Cormal and I reported to the Queen together. There was a great deal of information to share. We finished at the same time and realized there was still time to join everyone else for dinner.”

Perian nodded and waited to see if Cormal was going to say anything totally insulting. Perian kind of deservedsomethingfor sounding so rude, so he was determined to accept it, whatever it was.

But weirdly, Cormal held his tongue. Was he really hungry? Feeling all right? Had the week away actually done some good and given them metaphorical as well as physical distance from one another? Perian really hadn’t been trying to start something between them.

They spent a few minutes just eating their food, Onadal asking about the trip and Delana, Cormal, and Brannal variously filling him in about details of their journey which weren’t the sort that probably showed up in official reports but which made for good stories that everyone could hear at the dinner table.

Sly mention might have been made of Brannal’s desire to get back to the castle in a hurry.

“What can I say?” Brannal said with a shrug. “It felt particularly appealing for some reason.”

The warm look he gave Perian left no one in any doubt as to what that reason was.

Cormal spoke up from across the table. “Ah, yes, I do hear thatmanypeople seem to find that reason appealing.”

Brannal stiffened, but Perian had kind of expected something like that, and honestly, he didn’t think it was the redhead’s best effort.

He just grinned at him. “Are you saying you think I’m appealing? That’s really nice of you, Secundus, thank you.”

There were a scattering of abortive laughs around the table, and Cormal’s ears went red again.

Well, Perian had never said he was going to beperfect. He could feel Brannal’s shoulders shake at his side, though a glance at him showed he’d mostly managed to get his expression under control.

“Some of us have refined tastes,” Cormal snapped.

It was clearly an insult, but he’d needed to saysomethingto Perian’s jab.

Delana kindly took up the torch and used “refined tastes” to mention a bakery they’d come across that still didn’t quite rival the one here in the city but which had quite good pastries.

“Phew,” Perian said, wiping his brow with exaggerated relief. “Imagine how much harder it would be to get them for you if you decidedthosewere the best ones.”

There was general laughter, and they managed to talk about other things that didn’t involve Perian at all, which was nice. Brannal didn’t venture much, mostly letting the others speak as he finished his meal, but he was still pressed up against Perian, and Perian relaxed into the touch.

Once Brannal had finished, they rose to their feet, perhaps a little more quickly than was strictly necessary, and it was really no surprise that someone commented on their desire to get away.

“Things to do,” Perian said cheerfully.

They didn’t make it very far, though, before Perian was suddenly surrounded in an embrace, and after a startled moment, he realized it was Bennan. He was saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” and Chamis was standing off to the side looking shy but… Oh, yes, Perian was sure things were better, quite apart from the gratitude. Chamis still looked a bit uncomfortable, but something underlying that body language had shifted, something fundamental. He was happier, for certain.

Perian hugged him back. “I’m so glad it worked out.”

“I can never thank you enough. It means so much to me.”

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