Page 2 of The Silver Spider
Amnan didn’t takehis eyes off Serephone. Sly, sneaky woman. He'd get his hands on one of those half-mechanical spiders of hers. However she was powering them, it was the key to her magic. The key to the puzzle that eluded him and his father.
“She doesn’t trust us,” he said to his father. “It’s a little insulting.”
“She’s not to blame.”
Amnan glanced at his father’s carefully neutral expression. “You aren’t telling me something.”
“It’s not my something to tell. Serephone has her reasons for her caution. Respect them.”
He considered the words, trying to imagine all the reasons a woman might have to feel a reflexive, deep-seated suspicion of anything male. None of the reasons were good ones. And all of them brought his dragon roaring to the surface. He stilled, containing the gnashing battle urge. Kailigh and her daughters were now his to protect as members of his household, but there was something about Serephone that tugged on the most savage of his instincts. She wasn’t his, not inthatway. He shouldn’t feel like this.
"What are they?" he asked Maddugh, watching her skulk around the room.
He'd escort Sere to her mother and sic Kailigh on her—Serephone would stand still and listen to her mother, and no one else.
"They must be fae," his father said. Or rather, repeated. They’d had a variation of this conversation a half-dozen times before, but with no conclusion.
"Why would one of the fae leave their half-blood child? They are obsessive about binding anything related to one of their Lines.”
"I don’t know. I suspect some scion played in the human pool without permission and either didn’t know he had offspring—or didn’t care."
It didn’t explain why the girls were more fae, and less powerful, than their mother. "Kai appears slightly more human. But she is stronger."
Maddugh watched his wife, expression thoughtful. "For now. If they are fae, they haven’t reached maturity yet. The genetics can be interesting when it determines the time for puberty."
He stiffened. ”So, are we considering the girls adults?"
His father glanced at him. "Do you think they would allow you to consider them children?"
No. He supposed it was time to make his intentions known to his father, and head off any objections now. "Serephone intrigues me.”
The Lord's smile was dry. "I'm sure. Be careful with that one—she's not entirely...," he paused, looking for a polite word.
"She’s sane enough,” Hrutha said, approaching with his usual insouciant stroll. He held a wineglass loosely in one hand, hair disheveled. "Sorry, darlings, couldn’t help but eavesdrop. Amnan—are you really considering that one?" He shuddered dramatically. "I’m certain she has fangs—and not in her mouth."
"Hrutha," Maddugh said, irritated. "You will show respect for your new sisters."
Hrutha smiled lasciviously. "Oh, I intend on showing plenty of things to a particular sister. She hates my guts, you know? Delicious fun."
Amnan sighed, suppressing both an eye roll and the instinct to put a fist in Hrutha's face on Persia’s behalf. If he hadn’t known for certain Hrutha had never actually harmed a woman, or embroiled her in so-called fun against her will, he would have had to lock his youngest brother up decades ago. He was a dandy, and a menace.
"You need a real job," Amnan said. "Dabbling in mercantile doesn’t keep you busy enough."
"Hmm." Hrutha snatched a fresh wineglass from the tray of a passing server. "I was thinking of taking over one of the local bordellos. Adding a bit of class to the town's offerings of fine entertainment establishments."
Maddugh grimaced. "My father—and your mother—would throw a flaming fit if they knew one of my sons was a Madam."
Hrutha laughed uproariously. "Madam! What a word. I must tell Nuaddan."
"You should have eaten him at birth," Amnan said sourly as Hrutha trotted away. "As I was saying."
"You were, I believe, informing me of your intentions in courting Serephone."
"Courting is a strong word. Putting out feelers.”
Maddugh shrugged. "Do not dishonor her, or my wife. And be careful—that girl is not a toy, Amnan.”
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