Trinket (Reverse Harem)

The Leak

 Asund deposited the tiny bag on Korr's desk. "As requested."

Korr picked up the small bag by one ribbon. "Where is Ormiss?"

"Dispersing a massive storm he summoned. Soir showed up and pleaded with Theia to be his puzzle box. Left her a gift. Ordered Marcus to remain and serve her faithfully. Write the announcement, dragon. Soir clearly doesn't respect the Churn, so if he's going to be a problem, Haven should at least know what they're seeing. He also clearly has some magic that affects Theia. Badly. She collapsed."

He didn't need to make it sound so dramatic. I grumbled and rubbed my shoulder.

"What we saw before?" Korr asked, giving me a quick glance then returning his attention to Asund.

Asund nodded. "And there is a wolf-pack headed to Haven. Marcus believes it is my brother. Not a messenger. Lord Alpha Perhon."

"Was he invited by the Lord-Wolf?"

"Doubtful."

"Then why would he make the trip personally? That is a very long trip on foot."

"I have no idea what would bring my brother out of his territory."

Korr nodded, tapping his fingertips on the back of his chair. He smiled at me. "You don't have to lurk in the doorway, love."

Korr's room was blissfully cold and my aching scars numbed. Korr told Asund, "I don't believe your brother could already be here. Wolves travel fast, but they don't have wings."

"So my brother was already on his way, or it's not my brother. Write quickly, dragon." Asund spun on his heel, gave me an affectionate look, and left Korr's room. .

Korr, now actually dressed, even in just some pants and a loose top, his hair still in that fanciful braided arrangement and pink ribbons, twisted on his chair. The hair didn't match the current casual attire. There were a large number of large pieces of paper all curled and rustled on his large desk, along with several pens and various other implements. "You look unwell, my love."

"Do I?" I hadn't been able to shake the sausage meat feeling. It also didn't matter, because we had other things to worry about. Like this announcement that needed to be nailed to every fucking door in Haven right now so if Soir was going to keep up with this insanity, he'd have to do it with everyone in Haven knowing who he was squawking at. "What are you going to do with the pearl powder?"

He extended a hand towards me. I went over to the desk. He looped his arm around me and pulled me down onto his lap. He flinched slightly and I froze.

"I'm fine," he said. "Ribs take months to heal, and I doubt even a unicorn can overcome that."

He sighed contently and drew me against his body, his magic burning cold but not the kind of burning cold ice caused. And under the intense chill, warmth. It was the reverse of being snuggled under warm blankets on a bitterly cold day. I asked, "Are you sure?"

"That a unicorn probably cannot speed the pain of ribs? No. But I think the gods reserve broken ribs as a special kind of hell." He bumped his forehead against me, and I felt him smile. HIs breath was cold against my skin. "You feel warm in all the ways I don't enjoy, my love. How bad was the bird's singing?"

"I'm fine. I don't think Soir means to hurt me, I really don't think he does, but I'm also an idiot who thought he wasn't going to do anything the other night either. I hear what he says but everything..."

I stopped talking before I confessed I found Soir charming and enjoyed his company, and how I knew he'd never hurt me, even though he clearly had, and even now I was dead-sure he hadn't meant to hurt me, and it upset him, and he wanted to help.