Page 47 of Magic in His Arms

He blinked.“What did she pay you?”

Never slid her sleeve back.“I got a friendship bracelet.Two of them.Cora is wearing the other one.They speed up communication.”

“How long have you had it?”

“Thirty-five years.The little girl is now a mage instructor at Deepford College.Library sciences.”

He blinked slowly.“You work for her?”

“Sure.When books are stolen, I bring them back.They are living things, after all.”She grinned and ate her last taco.

“So, you hunt the living.”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever tried to hunt up a lover?”

She paused while sipping her lemonade.“Not until Cora has her baby underway.”

“Why not?”

“Because if I caught before she did, it would hurt our relationship.I need my sister more than I need to grow a family.Plus, if I have kids, she would need to babysit when I have to travel, so it’s a whole thing.”

“What about your partner?”

“I am thinking I would have driven him off by then.I can be abrasive.”

He smiled.“I think you would have to try really hard to drive him off.”

“I would manage.”

“What if you were tethered to a clan?”

“They would become my pimp, so to speak.”

He spluttered his lemonade.“What?”

“Or broker?I believe broker works.The speaker, I mean.The clan speaker would have the right of refusal for my services if they had a speaker.”

He sighed.“You know what I am saying.”

“Yes, and I owe you a kiss, and then we are even.Nothing owed.”

Tam-or cocked his head.“As speaker, I am allowed to lay claim to any woman who shows interest.”

“Only if they are affiliated with your clan.”

“Our clan is made of strays.Mixes like myself and those born between two clans and claimed by none.”

“And this means...”

“According to our treaty with Matthias, we can claim any unclaimed orcs.”

“When was that enacted?”

“Thirty-five years ago.We have a very young clan.”

“Hm.What is your specialty?”