Lustral || Complete

XVIII

     "Listen, Liri. I know she is your girl and everything, but there's something off about her. And I don't trust her with Nalla. Have you seen the way she glares at her?"

     "Are you jealous, Ardon?" Liri took a sip of her drink and handed one to him.

     "No, besides, what do I have to be jealous about? I just want you safe, and she is, I don't know...shifty."

     Liri glared at him. "At least she's trying."

     "She sidestepped all the personal questions I asked her about her family and growing up on a pearl farming boat. Not to mention, she smells funny."

     "What do you mean by smells funny?"

     "She doesn't smell like a Dubrovn. Of course, just about everything smells like flowers or sugar here, so that doesn't help, but still."

     "Oh, Mr. Rowe." Liri sighed while wrapping her arms around his neck.

     Ardon squinted. "You know—"

     With a chaste kiss, she smiled. "I enjoyed our time together, I really did, but I have no need for this kind of drama in my life with everything else going on. I'm sure you can understand that, right?"

     His wings drooped. "What are you saying?"

     "Your charges have been dropped and expunged, so our arrangement is complete. You're free to leave whenever you want."

     "You don't want me anymore?"

     "I do, but I don't want drama, and to be honest, the twins aren't comfortable with you."

     "But the other—"

     "Besides, it's not like you were going to become part of the harem or that I wanted to marry you."

     "Oh." He nodded slowly. "I see."

     "Thank you for everything." She patted his cheek and stepped away.

     He took two steps and stumbled into the dark wood desk. His eyes darted to Liri. "What did you do to me?"

     "Whatever could you mean, Draconian?"

     "The next words out of your mouth better be here's the antidote, Ardon, followed quickly with an apology or I'll make sure the real Liri finds out about all your past discretions and kills you herself, Shifter." He pushed away from the desk and stumbled towards her.

     Liri's form shifted into Pasley. Her ringlets swayed as she shook her head. "You say that like I should be ashamed of my heritage."

     "I knew you smelled funky! I should feed you to the pigs for what you put her through."

     "You can't even walk, so what makes you think you can catch me?"

     He threw his arms out, stumbling forward a little. "I will catch you...just as soon as the room stops...spinning."

     Footsteps clicked outside the studies entryway. Pasley grabbed Ardon and kissed him. He uselessly pushed at her, looking as if he was a lover that couldn't keep his hands to himself.

     A loud gasp filled the air. Liri stood there with her mouth hanging open, wide-eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

     Ardon managed to pull away from Pasley. He reached his arm out to her. "Liri—"

     "I thought you two hated each other, but I see I was mistaken. I didn't mean to barge in." Turning on her heel, she closed the door, vanishing as quickly as she'd arrived.