By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(11)

Did he only hum when insulted? Or did other emotions cause the behavior, too?

“Quinn, this is Auric Starfig, political animal extraordinaire, and as you probably noted, insensitive ass. And my father. Dad, Quinn is only staying with me temporarily until his . . . master,”—Man, I hated the word—“pays me what he owes me.”

Quinn’s flinch was subtle, but spoke volumes. I felt guilty for even saying it like that. Not sure why, since Quinn ended up in Brandsome’s care because of his own sticky fingers.

Neither my father nor Quinn acknowledged my introduction.

“You know,” my father began, “you don’t have to do grunt work—”

“I like my job just fine.”

He harrumphed again. Damn, three times in one short conversation. Must be a record. He opened his mouth to continue, so I rushed to say, “Please don’t tell me again about Article so-and-so of Allowind’s Regulatory Rulings, page I-don’t-give-a-fuck, column who-gives-a-shit. Unless it’s become illegal to do an honest day’s labor, I really don’t care.”

My father’s lip twitched. I couldn’t tell whether from amusement or annoyance.

“I think you meant, Belacorsy’s Regulatory Rulings. Allowind’s work focused primarily on the rights of succession within Elven royal lineages.”

“Of course it does.” Ugh.

Turning his attention back to Quinn again, my father cocked his head to the side in a way that meant he intended to say something I wouldn’t like.

“He’s pretty enough, I guess. Perhaps I can get my PR team to spin this as a story of unrequited longing.”

“Unrequited what?” I definitely did not like where this was headed. I had a feeling Quinn wouldn’t either.

“Yes, yes. A servant so enamored he begged his master to give him to you for as long as you’d have him. A whisper in the right ear and this story could sell well.”

Ah, making sure everyone knew how virile the Starfig line ran, his second favorite pastime after legislating every little facet of life here in the Elder. As if his virility could be in doubt when he sired a child with a dragon. “Dad, this really isn’t necessary. It’s no one’s business what I do or with whom.”

My dad sighed for a full ten seconds straight. Then he shook his head, ran a hand over his face. “I know you can’t help but be influenced by your mother’s genetics. Still, you’re a Starfig. Everything we do matters. Everything. We’re always being watched. Held to a higher standard. It gets tiring having to cover up your exploits.”

“My exploits?” Rage flooded my chest, and smoke began streaming from my nose. “You . . . I think you’d better go.”

It took me everything I had not to say some pretty hurtful things back. At the moment, my inner dragon itched to chomp him into little pieces. It wouldn’t solve anything and I only lived in the Elder through my father’s support. If he withdrew it, things would get uncomfortable fast. Plus, I didn’t think it proper form to eat one’s sire. Patricide tended to follow a guy around.

“Yes, I think you’re right.” He threw up his hands in exasperation. “Looks like my PR team will be working overtime. Again.”

With those parting words he disappeared.

Quiet descended. I closed my eyes, counted to ten. I might as well have counted to a million. My anger boiled just under the surface. Probably a good thing I couldn’t really breathe fire or I’d have burned my place down.

Quinn wisely didn’t say anything, let me grapple my anger back down to manageable levels. He really was smart for a human. Not that humans were dumb per se, but they tended to be slow to accept things outside their frame of reference. I spent time in the Hominus Realm after leaving my mother’s clan and I came to like some of them. I might have even settled in their world, if members of my ex-clan hadn’t kept harassing the villages I stayed in.

At least the dragons didn’t come to harass me in the Elder too often. Enough magic here that they never knew who they might run into and to give my father credit, he’d let my mother know, in no uncertain terms, he’d take immediate action to have them removed if they caused any trouble. Full sized, full blooded dragons always caused trouble. It’s what we . . . they . . . did.

After a while, I opened my eyes, felt in enough control to look at Quinn without scaring him to death.

He’d gone pale again, but didn’t flee to his room, so I guess that was a good sign. He cleared his throat. “Nice guy, your dad.”

I cracked a smile, chuckled. “He’s a real prince. And you should meet my half-brother. He makes my dad look like a sweetheart.” My smile slid away. “I’m sorry my father treated you so shabbily. He hasn’t had much contact with humans . . . well, human males before, so he didn’t know how to act.”

“It’s okay. I’ve had worse.” Quinn’s eyes didn’t quite meet mine. “I just can’t believe I met one of the most powerful creatures in the Elder and he could fit in my palm.”

“Size isn’t everything. Well, unless you’re a dragon.”

“Earlier, I shouldn’t have said . . .” He shook his head, clearly changing his mind. “They say your dad is the last purebred of his kind. That his power is to wield political influence. I’ve never heard of a power like that before. Is it some kind of compelling magic like Brandsome’s?”