Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 1, Final Part

"I—"

"I'm talking."

Arbita stilled, and even Bellus's eyes widened in shock. Domi smirked. Pyrrhaei did not speak to Promethidae like this. Pyrrhaei groveled, especially if they had the misfortune of crossing paths with a Lightholder. But Merula was not most Pyrrhaei. Even Aix, in his disguise as the Dyer at least, shut up and listened when she spoke and attended her evening salutatio, not the other way around.

Merula shifted in her chair to face the Trueborn woman squarely. "Your people discard us to your own detriment when you could instead use us for everyone's benefit."

"Use you? The Pullati?" Arbita shook her head less in denial than confusion. "For what?"

Domi smiled. Now that his foster mother had a captive audience, it was a perfect time for Domi to leave. He edged toward the door, eying Bellus as the man continued painting with his dark gaze narrowed in concentration.

"Well," Merula said, "word on the street is that your kind is short on worldholders to run about inspecting our provincia's frontier lands. And the Pullati are short on work. Coin. We can't handle the magical stuff for you lot, but we can tell if a dam is leaking or the weather is getting out of whack and report to— Dominulus, you get back here right now."

Domi froze mid-step as his Ma's gaze snapped to him. He pasted on an innocent smile. "You two found something way more interesting to discuss than my marriage." He waved a hand in mock regality. "Carry on."

"Nice try," Arbita said dryly, tapping the chair next to her. Domi sighed and slumped into it. "And thank you for bringing us back on track." She did not look at Merula as she retreated back to the topic like a scared child leaping into a parent's lap. "It is good to start thinking of finding you a suitable girl now."

Domi frowned. "A girl?"

She smiled. "Do you prefer boys? Or nonbinary kids?"

He shrugged. "I don't prefer anybody." Except Radix. And Sidus. And maybe--no, she'd eviscerate him for even thinking it. He shivered away the thought. "So why do I have to limit myself?"

"Ah." Arbita waved off his concern. "You can take a lover. That's quite common. Eternal Radiance knows Valens and I will. Marriage is strictly for the sake of children and inheritance."

"And fortunately such things can be accomplished without physical congress," Valens said without looking up from his book.

"Bedding" Domi blushed as he said the word. "You mean bedding. Sex."

His Ma shook her head. "Domi, you are too young to talk about such things."

He stared at her incredulously. "But not too young for all of you to marry me off?"

"We won't marry you off for at least another year or so," Arbita said, "but yes. The last thing anyone wants for you is a rushed arrangement you have had no time to think about or make plans to avoid." She flicked an annoyed glance at Valens and he flipped a page in his book like he didn't notice. She sighed and turned back to Domi. "Now, look at this list I've created." She slid a sheet of parchment across the desk to him. "They are all young ladies of suitable families. Better than we might expect for someone of your background and lack of training, due to your... ah... unexpectedly high rank in the Compendium."