Page 98 of Guardian of Exile

“I would advise you to be cautious, where he is concerned. Tristen Veld is not Seth Hawthorne.”

“You think I don’t know that?” she snapped. “Somehow, I thought you not being around for the first twenty-seven years of my life meant we could skip the part where you try to give me dating advice.”

“Nyx,” Griff said gently, but Nyx had no intention of apologizing. It wasn't hitting below the belt to bring up Jevryn’s literal absenteeism in her childhood when he tried to backseat parent her adulthood.

Annoyingly, he even seemed to agree with her, raising a hand to forestall Griff from saying anything further. “I meant only that he is...unstable. A Shaman without the Congregation has no center. No moral tether. There is no accounting for what he will or will not do. A romantic entanglement with him would be unwise.”

Oh, for the love of— “There are so many things wrong with that lecture. You do realize that just because he's a Shaman, that doesn't mean he can’t find morality outside the Congregation, right? Shamans make up, what? One percent of the universe’s population? Everyone else manages to find their own definition of morality.” Jevryn was being as shortsighted as the coworker she’d once had who had said he couldn’t understand why people who didn’t believe in God weren’t out “raping and pillaging” all the time, because there wasn’t anything stopping them. As if it was impossible to decide to be a good person on one’s own, and the only reason anyone managed it was through divine intervention.

“He isn’t out killing people indiscriminately.”

“No, but he did try to kill you. Twice, I believe. And Kaden once. And before you accuse me of interrogating your companions for information, he told me that. He was rather eager to get ahead of any potential misunderstandings, once he learned of our relationship.” Jevryn looked entirely too smug, having delivered that last statement.

Yes, we all know you’re a scary bastard. “His reaction was understandable given his history and circumstances.” Never in a million years would she admit to Jevryn that she’d also been annoyed by Tristen’s kill-first approach.

“We must remain in disagreement on that point, I fear. I believe you said there were multiple issues with my lecture?” He did not use air quotes on the last word. If he was aware of the habit of air-quoting, he would likely find it gauche and distasteful. But he nonetheless managed to put air quotes on the word “lecture” with nothing more than the skillful intonation of his voice. “I am aflutter with anticipation to hear my remaining faults of logic.”

Nyx very much doubted Jevryn A-Morridahn had ever been “aflutter” with anything. And she couldn't remember what her other points had been now, save one clear distinction she wanted to make. “I’m not romantically involved with him. Not that it is any of your business, but it was a one-night stand.”

Jevryn looked to Griff. Griff shrugged. “One-night stand?” Jevryn asked. Nyx pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes because she wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose, like Jevryn always did when she exasperated him. Five more minutes of this and she was going to discover if muscle twitches beneath the left eye were genetic.

“A one-off,” she gritted out, drawing her hands away and opening her eyes to see he didn’t look any more enlightened. “You know? Casual sex? Promiscuity? A⁠—”

He lifted his hand. “I believe I have the general meaning.”

“Wonderful.” Nyx beamed at him. “Are we finished discussing my sex life now, or did you want to have the safe sex conversation about fifteen years late?”

Jevryn’s brows drew together. “Were you⁠—”

“Oh my god, no!”

“You weren’t safe? Oh dear, I⁠—”

“I mean no, we are not talking about this.”

She realized there was a gleam in Jevryn’s eyes a second before he laughed. Actually laughed. She was pretty sure there was a law of physics somewhere that said Jevryn A-Morridahn was incapable of laughter, because the metric ton of seriousness weighing him down at all times meant he couldn't draw enough air to laugh.

She stabbed her finger at Jevryn. “I’m so glad my emotional discomfort brings you joy. And you.” She pointed at Griff. “You didn't tell me he has a sense of humor.”

“It only makes the rarest of appearances,” Griff answered solemnly. “Had I known it was likely to do so today, I would of course have warned you.” His wings twitched.

And now he was fucking with her too. Unbelievable. “I need coffee if you two are going to be like this all morning.” She stalked out of her room, heading for the stairs.

“It is midnight, na’tria,” Jevryn called after her.

“Technically morning!” she yelled back. She descended the stairs, muttering under her breath about interfering fathers the whole time. But she was also smiling, and that? That felt good.

A glow came from the kitchen as she walked in. Kaden stood in front of the refrigerator, staring at the contents in that way a person did when they had no idea if they actually wanted anything they were looking at. And considering Kaliaris could give him the basic ingredients for pretty much anything, he must really have no idea what he wanted.

He closed the door, looking up as she walked in.

“Hey,” she said by way of greeting, moving past him to the espresso machine.

“Hey. How are you?”

Oh, right. The last time he'd seen her had likely been when she was busy passing out in this very room. “Terrible. I just discovered my fathers think they're funny.”

“My condolences.”