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“You need better snacks,” Wren says as he walks out of my kitchen with a bag of baby carrots. “Oh, wow.” He waves a hand in front of his face. “That scent is strong. I did not need to know you just fucked my brother.”

“Bathroom quickie. And it was wonderful.”

Wren shoves his fingers in his ears. “La la la la la. Don’t wanna know.”

“Then don’t make commentary on it? Did you have more information or just wanted to criticize my snack options?”

“I brought a letter for my brother from mother.”

“Lark told me his true name.”

Wren drops his bag of carrots and Frankie snatches them up, bag and all. “Didn’t see that coming.”

Neither did I, to be honest. Not that I ever would have asked him for his true name if he wasn’t ready to tell me.

“Do you love my brother?” Wren wipes his hands down his shirt without looking at me. Frankie chomps loudly on the carrots, happy as can be.

“I think I fell in love the moment I laid eyes on him, but those feelings solidified the more I get to know him.” I sound like such a cliche. Some fairytale prince. “He’s extraordinary and has no idea.”

Wren’s chuckle is light. “He never has. He always tries to make everyone else happy. Every morning he’d run wild in one of the meadows and gather flowers for mother’s breakfast table. Even when he wasn’t allowed to join her. He just wanted to bring a smile to her face. I don’t think he ever really embraced following in her footsteps. He’s always been too free-spirited to be stomped down by all the rules of court. But he insisted on going through the training. I don’t know if I should be glad or not that he never glowed while he was here.”

“I think he’s embarrassed by his lack of experience, but it doesn’t matter to me. I can’t bear the thought of bringing him home to lose him to pleasure training for others.”

Wren shakes his head. “His heart obviously belongs to you. He’d never be accepted now. Courtesans need to be unattached of the heart.”

“Are you still a courtesan?”

Wren shrugs. “Yes, but I asked for a few leaves of absences to learn how to work with the veils and realm hop. Everyone loved Lark. His smile lights up the room. And his laugh always puts even the grumpiest person in a good mood. The king included.”

“And the third prince?”

His grin drops. “The prince is a problem when Lark goes home. He still wants my brother. He’s part of the reason I have such privileges, even though I’m an official courtesan.”

“He can’t have Lark.”

“No, I don’t want him to have Lark either. He’s a cruel asshole that his own father, the king, has reprimanded over and over about how he’s treated the other courtesans.”

“But not you?”

“We’ve never coupled together.” Wren looks at his nails. “He likes men that, well, look like Lark.” He drops a hand over himself. “I’m bigger than him.”

“It’s not like you’re a bodybuilder, but you are definitely twunk material.”

He blinks back at me. “Is that a made up word?”

“Just means you have a pretty face and a muscle body.” A smile twitches at my lips.

“Humans are so weird with their words.”

“Don’t get me started. I just don’t get it.” I plop on my couch and Frankie joins me. I wave for Wren to join. “I was going to go shower.”

“Ah, right! The letter.” He digs in his side pocket and pulls out a small pink envelope. “Mother says it’s for Lark’s eyes only. So no peeking. We can trust you, right?”

The question hurts, but I nod. “Only Lark. I’ll get it to him tonight.”

“I bid you good day, kind demon.” He bows, then disappears.

“Oh, Frankie. What have I gotten myself into?” I rub her head and her tail wags. “You’re my best girl, you know that, right?”