Claudius stares down at me, dark brows knit together over his argent eyes as his hand tightens possessively around my wrist.
Black stubble covers the lower half of his face. The beginning of shadows have tinted his under eyes purple. I try to pull in a breath to scream, but my lungs are paralyzed in my chest.
"Come on," he says in a bizarrely calm tone, "We need to talk."
"No," I say, but it comes out as a raspy croak.
"This isn't a game, Flora," he whispers harshly.
I force a breath into my lungs, but his other hand snaps tight over the lower half of my face before I can do anything with it.
"Stop it," he says quickly, "Just let me explain-"
I hold his gaze as I arch forward and sink my teeth into the soft skin of his palm. He barks out in pain and rips his hand away from my mouth, keeping the other around my wrist. I'm trembling so hard that his grip on me is most of what's holding me upright.
"Let go!" I scream and try to wrench my arm out of his grasp.
Heat hits my back for a split second before a hand shoots past my head and wraps around Claudius' throat. His eyes go wider than I've ever seen them, white showing all around the silver. An arm comes forward and wraps around my torso. Looking up at Ares, I see his eyes are focused as he snarls and tightens his grip. Claudius keeps a hold on me but claws at Ares' hand with his free one. He finally lets go and I frantically back up.
"You're already fucking a different one?" he growls at me while his eyes stay on Ares.
"I'm fucking the whole town! Leave me alone!"
His eyes dart between us, then to the central aisle as hooves slam against the floorboards. A dun centaur with a thick beard, all his hair and fur edged with gray, stops short beside Ares. A work belt hangs heavily around the owner's waist as he scans us.
"What's going on back here?" Henry demands in a gravelly tone.
"Some laddish human," Ares answers, "Biting off more than he can chew. As usual. He was just leaving."
Claudius' eyes stare into mine. His expression shifts from domineering fury to something sad. Defeated and hurt. I glare back, daring him to reach for me ever again. Ares releases him with a shove, sending Claudius stumbling backward into the opposite shelf. Churning thoughts are visible in his gaze as his eyes flick between the three of us.
I half-expect him to lunge for me again. To be one of those inexplicable humans who puffs out his chest at Ares. Instead, his eyes slide to the floor and he slowly walks away. Henry follows at his back. I keep my own back pressed to Ares until I hear the heavy door slide open and shut once more.
"Who was that?" Ares asks when I finally step away from him.
"My...," I pause, "He was my fiance."
"Oh, that."
"Yeah."
"He seems like a charmer."
I almost laugh. Ares takes my hand and leads me away. His height forces me to keep my arm raised to let him continue holding my hand as we walk. We exit the shop, and immediately take an unexpected turn down the gravel street.
"We're going the wrong way."
"We're not going to And's."
"Where are we going then?"
Ares ignores my question and whistles at a sprite lounged across a windowsill chewing on a hunk of brown bread. The glow zips down and settles on his shoulder as it fishes writing materials from its satchel. We pause as the sprite spreads the little paper flat on the side of the building. Ares jots a short message and slips it into the satchel with a couple shining coins. He barely finishes reciting Andrius' address before the sprite is off again.
"He came into the store right after you did," Ares explains without pausing, "He must have been following you. It's probably best that he doesn't know where you and And live."
"So, where are we-"
Ares turns so fast I nearly trip on my own feet as he sweeps both of us into the vine-clad building. The smell of caramelizing fruit and molten caramel immediately makes my stomach growl. I try to glance around Ares' body at the interior, but he rushes us past a glass front counter and through another door.
"You can't just barge in whenever you- Ares!" The female voice ends in an annoyed tone and there's the sound of hooves following us.
He finally releases my hand when we stop in the back. Around us is a kitchen. Matching sets of mixing bowls and measuring spoons hang from hooks all along the walls. A massive stove with a fiery glow inside. On one counter sits a massive leather-bound ledger stuffed full of silk ribbons for bookmarks.
"What did I say?" The female voice calls out as she rushes through the swinging door.
When she enters, I'm shocked out of the hunger that all the delicious smells inspired in me. An exact copy of Andrius but for her feminine curves. Her flaxen hair is pulled back in a smooth chignon, her lips painted with a rosy glaze that matches the blush on her cheeks.
"Aurora?" I gasp before Ares has a chance to speak.
The pretty golden centaur's eyebrows jump in surprise, "Ye... yes? I... who are you?"
"You'd know if you came to dinner at And's."
She rolls her eyes and lets out an exasperated sigh. Ares walks past us and I turn in time to see him open a standing ice box and reach inside.
"Those aren't for-"
"If I'm explaining all this," he interrupts and bites into a cannoli, "I deserve a snack."
.
Before the door even swings open, I recognize the pattern of Andrius' steps. Aurora is staring at me, mouth agape at the ending of Ares' explanation of my relationship with their brother. I offer a sheepish smile, but I worry it looks more like an awkward grimace.
Andrius bursts through the door and immediately drops beside me. He pulls me into his arms and I try to ignore the widening of his twin's eyes as I press myself to him. Under the thick wool of his sweater, I can feel his upper heart pounding. I rub a hand gently over the thundering spot.
"It's okay," I say quietly, "I'm okay. Ares took care of it."
"I can't believe he followed you here," Andrius says into my hair, "I never would've sent you out alone if I'd thought he would."
"Yeah," Ares stretches out the word, "I was wondering about that too. There must be other single rich girls in Leaven."
"There are," I reply.
"Then why you?"
"I don't know," I answer honestly, hating the suspicious look that Aurora and Ares are casting down on me.
"What was your relationship with him before?" Ares pries.
"I didn't have a relationship with him!"
"Flora," Andrius begins, pressing my shoulders back until I'm sitting upright enough that we can look at each other, "I won't be upset if there was something between you two. I had a relationship before we met."
"There was no relationship! The most I ever even spoke to Claudius was at Victoria Barclay's debutante ball. He asked me to dance and cornered me to make forced small-talk one time. I told him to stay away from me. Then, months later, my father says 'congratulations, you're marrying Claudius' like I should've expected it!"
The three of them look at each other, then back at me.
"I believe you," Andrius assures me quietly.
