“Sorry,” I apologised quietly, embarrassed, and turned to leave.
“Did I dismiss you?” Selene asked, and I stopped mid-turn and looked back to her.
“No, Ma’am,” I replied.
“No, I did not. You answer to me, no one else,” she said, pushing herself away from the table. “Here,” she commanded, patting her lap.
My face flushed deeply, but I walked toward her and was not surprised when she reached out, pulling me down to her lap.
“There, you have a seat,” she said, turning back to the table. “How was your dance lesson?” she asked, her nose at my neck scenting me. She growled, upset, but didn’t comment. I knew she must have scented Dylan.
“It was long, Ma’am,” I answered. “And bad company,” I added.
“Are you hungry?” she continued.
“Are you seriously doing this, Selene?” Lord Halvorsen asked.
“Pet?” she continued ignoring Lord Halvorsen’s interruption.
“Yes, Ma’am, very,” I answered her.
She waved her hand rudely at a server who came over swiftly and ordered lunch for me before she turned her attention back to the table.
“Selene?” Lord Halvorsen continued angrily.
“Your tone sounds rather unhappy, Oskar. Do you have a problem?” she asked him.
“Yes, I said the table was full,” he answered.
“Percy is mine,” she growled out. “My pet, my property, mine to command. Not yours. Never forget that while we may come to share much, my pet is always off limits,” she told him.
He growled loudly, slamming his hand against the table. Selene ignored his behaviour and turned to one of the others at the table picking up a conversation. I avoided looking at any of the table occupants, resting my head against her shoulder and focusing on how I felt perfectly safe in my soul match’s arms despite the situation and knowing Lord Halvorsen's temper.
Later, after accompanying Selene to a late afternoon lecture, we were home in our pyjamas; I was at her feet, enjoying her hand running through my hair and thinking of the interaction with Lord Halvorsen and how Heidi had warned me of him.
“Did I do something bad this afternoon?” I asked. Her hand paused in my hair, and she hummed for me to continue. I looked up to see her eyes on me. The book she was reading sat on her thigh, her hand keeping her page. “When I asked to sit with you… Should I not have?”
“If you need something, you are always permitted to ask.” She smiled. “That doesn’t mean I will indulge you,” she told me, her smile growing to a grin. “You did nothing wrong.”
“It’s just - Lord Halvorsen was angry, and Heidi said I had to be careful,” I told her.
“What did Heidi say, precisely?” she asked me, her book page forgotten.
“She said she heard Orion’s thoughts, and Lord Halvorsen has the real anger of the two. She said people like him were easily jealous, and I had to be careful; I could have been collateral damage, and you might not always be beside me.”
“Oskar carries an unnecessary burden for his House. He is firstborn and expected to produce an heir. He is also overly concerned with his image,” she told me.
“How is that a burden?” I asked.
“Oskar prefers men. It would not be an issue if there were no rumours that he cannot perform with women. His mother is known to be condescending, berating and ridiculing towards him. His ego cannot stand what he views as a personal failing,” she explained. “I believe he may view my affections for you as a threat to his image.” Her hand resumed her travels through my hair.
“Tell me, Percy, do you prefer women or men?” she asked after a short while. I had never thought about such things.
“I guess I must prefer women,” I answered.
“You guess?”
“You’re the only person that’s ever made me feel the way you do,” I told her, leaning against her leg.