32Butterflies filled my stomach. I didn’t want to do what I was about to do.
My knuckles were white as I wrung my hands, perched on the edge of my seat in one of the large sitting rooms at the front of the house.
“He is coming now, miss,” Mr. Tom said from the doorway, his tuxedo pressed, a white towel once again draped over his bent arm. His love of watching old butler movies was officially getting out of hand.
A week had gone by since the showdown with the remaining mages. Five had snuck around the area, learning my habits and those of the town. Four had successfully kidnapped me and imprisoned me within the mountain. Two had been taken down by Bigfoot’s scary uncle. That meant my team had only taken down three of them—or really two, since Austin was technically still a free agent.
That was unacceptable. I needed to make some changes. I needed to bring everyone under one umbrella and get them working together. I could only make a decision about who should sit on my council if I knew which of them were team players. Baby steps.
Step one was this meeting.
The wooden carving on the mantelpiece moved and changed, a woman holding a sword emerging within the pattern, along with a large gargoyle who flew down to land beside her. Without warning, she spun and sliced with her sword. The gargoyle’s head flew off, the body disappearing within the changing designs and the head bouncing along the ground. The woman stowed her sword and bent, picking up the head in a palm, and…
I looked away, my mood souring. I mention in the house, one time, how gross it was for the basajaun to spike a head like a football, and suddenly it was Ivy House’s favorite joke. I really did question her sense of humor.
At least it was obvious she supported my decision. That meant a lot, since it affected her, too.
I stood when Damarion filled the doorway, his face hard and his eyes wary. He probably knew what was coming.
My stomach clenched with unease. I hated doing stuff like this.
“Hi Damarion, please…” I motioned to the chair that had been placed opposite me. “Have a seat.”
“You’re looking well,” he said, his gaze sliding down my front. He stopped before me and bent to give me a kiss on the cheek.
Over the last week, he’d thankfully gotten the hint that any chance of romance between us had flown out the window. I was pretty sure he blamed Austin for that, even though Austin and I hadn’t seen much of each other, what with him diligently working to better secure the town. Still, Damarion seemed jealous of Austin. And while, sure, Austin could sometimes burn my blood with a simple touch, it would forever be a no-go. Damarion had nothing to be jealous of. Regardless, the two couldn’t be in the same room before, but now it seemed like Damarion was struggling with being in the same town.
I lowered into my chair and forced myself to cross my legs, as though pretending I was comfortable might make it so.
“Damarion, I know I’ve said it before, but I would just like to thank you again for helping me learn my magic, training me, and especially for saving my life. You’ve been a huge asset to this house and have been integral to my training thus far.”
He nodded.
“Unfortunately,” I went on, trying to keep the apology out of my voice. This was business. I couldn’t worry about offending him or hurting his feelings, which was easier said than done, given the need to please people had been drilled into me—and every other woman I knew—my whole life. Before Ivy House, I would have preferred to endure my own discomfort rather than anger or upset others, even if the other party was acting out of turn. That made me a great host, but it really worked against me in terms of business. I had to harden up for this new life. I had to own being the boss lady. I couldn’t apologize for the decisions I made. This wasn’t personal, and Damarion had known the score all along. They all had.
But man, strapping on my iron panties was easier said than done.
“I have to make some structural changes to my setup,” I said. “You have excellent skills and a lot of very admirable qualities, but unfortunately, I’ll no longer be needing your services at this time. I hope you can understand.”
I just barely stopped myself from apologizing and telling him it wasn’t personal.
He studied me quietly for a moment, making me want to squirm in my seat.
Finally, he nodded curtly and stood. “You are not ready for me. When you are, I will expect another summons. It has been an honor.” He bowed deeply and his wings fluttered. After straightening, he took my hand and brushed his lips across my knuckles. “Until we meet again.”