Midnight Jewel
Page 122

   “Wait, wait. You didn’t mention that before. We can still banter, right?”
   His recovering state saved him from getting elbowed. “Yes. We can even designate exclusive times for it, if that makes you feel better.”
   “It does. And as for throwing me out . . .” He gestured around us. “I don’t know how much longer this will be my place if I can’t pay the bills. I’m done with the store; it was just a cover. And I don’t get along with the agent who’ll fill in here while Silas is in Osfrid. So probably no McGraw freelance work either. I may have to rely on the Lady of the Watch’s charity until I figure out what nonwandering job I’m cut out for.”
   I smiled back. “Well, the Lady of the Watch happily extends her charity. But maybe . . . maybe you’d like to work for her too.”
   “Are you offering me a job?” He sounded more amused than interested.
   “Sure. I’ve got to hire people—people I can trust. And I think it is the kind of job you’d be good at. You’re observant. You don’t mind running into a fight. In fact, you seem to have an easier time doing that than talking about your feelings.”
   “Who’s snipping now? And I’ve been pouring out my heart here, you know.” He grew more serious as he contemplated my offer. “I’d do this—the watch. But . . . what goes on between us isn’t going to stay a secret. I don’t want it to undermine your position.”
   “Why would it?”
   “Because—since you know I tell you the truth—there are going to be people who have a hard time accepting a woman in charge. You may—you will—get resistance to your orders. Not from me, of course. I’m already used to following your orders. But some people will try to use you being involved with an employee as an excuse to attack you. Can you handle that? If memory serves, one of the first times we met, you were threatening someone with a knife over slander.”
   Thinking about what I knew of human nature, I suspected he was right. “I can handle it. Can you?”
   “Handle attacks on you? Not peacefully. But on me? I don’t care. They can say whatever they want. They can call me Mister Viana.”
   I laughed. “Would that be a problem?”
   “No. I collect names. But . . . maybe . . .” He had to glance away and steel himself before meeting my eyes again. “Maybe you’d want to be Mistress Elliott.”
   It was another of those moments I had to puzzle over what he’d said to understand what he’d really said. And then: “Did you just . . . propose?”
   With the effort of that task over, he slipped into his familiar cockiness. “Well, I’ve done it before.”
   “Have you? To me?”
   He cut me a look. “Yes. When we talked about you going with me to the Balanquans.”
   “That wasn’t a proposal. Neither was this.” I reached back into my memories to when he’d mentioned traveling north. “They were more like passive suggestions. Proposals usually involve . . . well, a little more. I would at least expect an actual question.”
   He feigned shock at that. “Whoa, hey, you knew what you were getting into here. If you want hours of flowery speeches, you’d better go find out if Cedric Thorn has a brother.”
   I laughed. “No, I just want you, despite how impossible and complicated you are. Maybe because of it.”
   “And I want you because . . .” The humor on his face faded as he studied me, and I suddenly understood what he meant when he talked about “that look” I gave him in emotional moments. I was pretty sure he was giving me his equivalent. And it was overwhelming. “I want you because you’re you, Mirabel. Because I don’t want to wander when I’m with you. And because I love you.” He said that last part so fast that I nearly missed it. And then he kissed my cheek and got out of bed. “But don’t let it go to your head.”
   When we went to Silas’s later, I expected another meeting about city watch logistics. Instead we found both Silas and Aiana standing there with their arms crossed, waiting for us. Grant looked between them suspiciously.
   “What is this?”
   “We need to settle some things before I sail,” said Silas sternly. “Are you leaving, boy? Give me an answer, once and for all.”
   Grant’s tension melted. “Wow, this is really my day. Yes, I’m staying. Yes, I’ll be here when you get back.”
   Silas kept his expression hard, but I saw relief flow through him. “So you’re fine with Aiana’s offer. You’ll wait for it.”
   “Yes.” Grant fixed a sharp eye on her. “Even though I told her there’s no need.”
   “It’s my choice, Iyitsi,” she returned evenly. “Take advantage of it.”
   They’d lost me. “What offer?”
   Aiana met Grant’s challenging look with defiance a few moments more before answering. “I violated my marriage by running away from my wife—that’s a great offense in the upper branches. There are serious punishments for that if I’m caught. It’s why I hide out here. But if we’re apart for five years, the marriage is dissolved, and I’m free of the repercussions. I just need to stay away for about a year and a half more. Then I can safely visit—and bring Grant with me. He can petition for his citizenship back.”
   “You don’t have to go back at all,” Grant insisted. “They’ll make you finalize paperwork and see her again.”
   Aiana dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “I’m not afraid of her anymore.”
   I turned to Grant in wonder. As happy as I’d been to hear he’d stay here, I’d felt a nagging guilt about him being denied his homeland after all he’d done. “Then . . . you can go back. Not quite the way you wanted or as soon, but . . .”