Page 32 of Compass Points
“I am fascinating,” she shot back. “Though hopefully only fascinating as the Suden Point’s current passing fancy.”
Luc coughed. “I certainly agree that you’re fascinating, Rose, and don’t worry, these villagers don’t know half of it. They underestimate you, just like I did.” He looked out over the lake as he paddled them forward. “They see someone on the Suden Point’s arm as interesting. I doubt they see the merits of the woman herself.”
Rose wasn’t sure what to make of that statement. She appreciated the acknowledgment of his initial misjudgments. It was certainly part of the plan to make sure people saw her but weren’t looking at her too closely. Her appearance was quite different from the sixteen-year-old who had run from here, but not so different that no one would recognize her if they had known her then. Her only saving grace was that everyone assumed the girl she had been was dead.
She shook herself free of her past at Compass Lake. “Will the gossip get back to the Compass Points?”
“Oh yes, don’t worry about that. Even if we hadn’t spoken with anyone in the village, the news still would have gotten back to them.” He paused as if debating how to continue. He was saved from explaining further as Arie landed on her shoulder.
With barely contained glee, Arie launched into his announcement.“The gossip behind us is saying he’s never brought a lover to the Suden house.”
She looked up and glared at Luc, knowing that this was what he’d been debating whether to tell her. She immediately understood now why he was so confident the gossip would get back to the other Compass Points. Rose on Luc’s arm was no casual occurrence. It was a bigger deal than she initially thought.
“Don’t you think that’s the kind of information you might have shared before we proceeded?”
“You forget that I can’t hear what your bird is saying to you,” he gracefully evaded the confrontation for another moment.
She fumed, as she was sure he was aware of the topic of discussion.
“You’ve never brought a romantic partner here, Luc? I know that you know that’s what he just told me. Don’t you think this will bring us more attention than we need?”
The bird on her shoulder made a sound like it was choking. Rose assumed Arie was trying to giggle in delight at the drama he’d caused but found it hard to do in his bird form.
Luc glared at the bird before continuing, “Don’t worry. The other Compass Points tend to keep their distance from me. I rarely agree with them, but I have too powerful a reputation to directly confront. They tend to only deal with me in official Compass Point capacities.” He shrugged. “Sometimes the Vesten Point will get close on our western border, but it’s usually just when he’s shifted and running through the trees on that part of the property.”
Like Luc, the Vesten Point had only come to power since Rose left Compass Lake. And from what she’d heard, he’d been raised in Sandrin, the city on the bay on the westernmost side of the continent. He wouldn’t know who she was anyway.
“You don’t get it, do you? It’s one thing if I’m one of the many on the Suden Point’s arm. It gives me the protection we sought but no expectation. Everyone will assume you’ll move on soon enough. But if I’m the first partner in…” She paused. “How long have you been Suden Point?”
“Eight years.”
“The first partner you’ve brought here in eight years!” she whisper-yelled at him so her voice didn’t carry across the lake. “The first partner you bring here will get more attention than may be beneficial. People will want to know how we met, your intentions, and my loyalties.”
“I’m aware.”
“Since you’re so aware of it, what are we doing about it?”
“We’re leaning into the fact that most here are too scared of me to ask questions. I know that comes as a shock to you since you seem to have no fear of me.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I promise, most do. So while everyone will undoubtedly have the questions you listed, they won’t ask them of me directly, and there is no one else to give them the answers.”
She pondered this. He might be correct if the conversation with the baker was any indication. She took a deep breath.
“You still should have told me.”
Sensing the tension was over, Arie said,“While this was fun to watch, I’m going to do some laps around the lake and see what else I can learn.”Then he flew away.
Luc watched Arie take off, still not making eye contact with Rose. He said, “Telling a woman that I’ve been unable to share enough of myself to have a public romantic partner in eight years doesn’t sound like the information you lead with for a relationship.”
Her gaze narrowed at him. “This is a fake relationship, Luc. My judgment of you doesn’t matter.”
“Funny, isn’t it, that I find that it does,” Luc replied.
Rose hesitated before continuing. He caught her off guard with his unexpected honesty. “For what it’s worth, I certainly wouldn’t judge you for not being able to share enough of yourself to make a real relationship work. I lived on a magical island with a talking shapeshifter. You can guess how many partners I’ve trusted enough to bring there.”
He gave her a soft smile at that. One she didn’t think she had seen on him yet. He wore it well.
“At least you have Tara.” Immediately he shifted in his seat and started, “I’m sorry, Rose, I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine, Luc. You’re right. I have Tara.” She looked off after Arie’s bird shape in the distance. “I have Arie too. They may not be life partners, but they’re like family. Do you have family here, or are they still back…Where are you from again?”
