Page 12 of When the Baker Met the Dragon

“And we would have to murder him,” Tully says.

Now I’m starting to get mad. I cross my arms. “What exactly do you mean? That Cyrus, the friend I’ve had for years and years, suddenly wants to sleep with me? You believe I’m silly-headed enough to let him break my heart with a fling? I hope you both think higher of me than that.”

Tully and Laini exchange a tight look, then Laini works my hands free and holds them in hers.

“You are not silly-headed,” she says, a sincere look in her eyes.

“But you are the only one in the realm who would ever use that word while angry,” Tully whispers, grinning.

I stick my tongue out at her, and Laini turns me away from Tully.

“Look, he’s charming,” Laini says. “Very charming.”

Tully puts her head between us. “He has a massive cock. All shifters do.”

Laini glares. “Not helping, Tully.” She focuses on me again. “It would be easy for you two to fall into bed, and it wouldn’t end happily.”

It hurts because she’s completely right. He would bore of me quickly. I don’t know any tricks of the bedroom. I’ve only had one lover, and that was a fleeting, perfunctory affair when Iwas determined to at least experience sex once in my quiet life. I’m always too shy to approach males and I’m not interested in females.

I imagine Cyrus’s smile, and I know it’s always been him. I shut my eyes and sigh.

“I hear you,” I say to Laini and I open my eyes. “He was different here yesterday and today, too. I think I was starting to hope he’d finally grown up, but I wasn’t admitting that to myself.”

“Nothing silly about that,” Tully says. She slips around a stack of crates and hugs me from behind. “I’m sorry I was being a mean witch.”

I lean my head on hers and squeeze Laini’s hands. “It’s all right. I’m used to your thorns.”

Her body shakes as she chuckles. She kisses my cheek, then releases me to scratch Sio. “You are the best of us, Kaya. We can’t help but be overprotective.”

Laini pulls away, but she is nodding. “It’s true. You know what?”

“Oh no. She’s plotting,” I say, glancing from Laini to Tully. “You’re wearing off on her.”

Tully whispers into Sio’s ear, and the cat yowls like he agrees with whatever she said.

“Oh! I forgot to tell you!” I hurry to the chest at the back of the kitchen. “Sio went in here, and then he spoke to Cyrus and me!”

Tully blinks at Sio, who seems to grin proudly. “Some of the old line in this one, eh?”

“That’s amazing!” Laini says. “What did he say? What do you mean,old line, Tully?”

“Maplecats used to speak. All of them. The magic became too watered down as they bred with other types of cats. They have tolive to be pretty old and come in contact with magic to bring up the ability.Vespertine’s Familiars, Scroll 9.”

“Wow. I had no idea,” I say. “I hope he’ll talk to me again.” I eye him and he purrs my way.

Tully scratches him, then sets him down. “Let’s get back to what Laini was saying. The plotting and all of that.”

Spark, the dragonfox, zips into the kitchen and flies in circles over Laini. She lifts one hand and gently grabs for his tail in the game they like to play.

“I was saying that I have a potential date for you, Kaya,” Laini says.

My heart trips. “You do?”

“If you’re interested.”

Tully hops onto the back counter next to the sack of oats and the jar of honey. “Ooo, do tell.”

“The Dyer family has a new employee, and he’s delivering my wool tomorrow. I met him last week and he was delightful.”