By the Horns (Royal Artifactual Guild, #2)

by Ruby Dixon

I’m just a maid trying to be a guild artificer. Not a mancer. Mancers are trouble. Mancers are burned at the stake because they’re a threat. Because magic is outlawed and forbidden, unless it’s in one of the old artifacts.

Most Taurians are only god-touched during the Conquest Moon, but some of us are god-touched permanently, and it makes us insatiable.

Are you tall?” I am short and absolutely stout, but who cares in this moment? Certainly not me. “Tall and blond.”

Maybe it’s a Taurian thing to be a generous lover. If so, I’ve been seeing the wrong men all my life.

I don’t want to tell anyone that I’ve been obsessively hunting for Sarya since the moment the bandages were removed. No one needs to know I’m infatuated with a sex worker who likely thinks of me as little more than another job. Because I am. Infatuated.

I’m envious. I’ve never had a romantic partner. Sex partner, yes. But romantic? No.

Being Sparrow’s friend has taught me that if you want something badly enough, you must pursue it, regardless of what people say.

Failing makes me end up at the same spot that not trying does, so why not try?

Five hells, if it weren’t for the fact that I’m already half in love with the missing Sarya, I’d say this one is just my type.

“Do you think he’s handsome?” “I think he should have been smacked a bit more as a boy,” she replies tartly. “Then he wouldn’t be so full of himself.”

“Lost a sock,” I tell him to explain away my actions. Never mind that Taurians don’t wear socks. Or shoes.

“I’m about as good a dancer as a three-legged dog.” “What a coincidence. My dancing tutor was a three-legged dog.”

I’m not sure I want to tell them that it’s complicated because I was feeling sick from sensing a dead body so I fucked him to distract myself and it turns out he doesn’t know it was me and he’s also pining over some other woman. That seems like far too much.

“I’m here with you,” he tells me. “No one is going to try anything while I’m around. And if they do, I’ll handle it.”

I’m practically giddy with relief that she’s stumbled over her own words and shown herself to me. If she truly is Sarya, this is the best possible outcome for me. I haven’t been neglecting locating the woman I’m obsessed with.

She’s been right here under my nose the entire time. And considering that I’m wildly attracted to Gwenna, this is perfect.

It’s just that…I want Gwenna to touch me. And I don’t want to be numb to it when she does. Taking the potion feels like a betrayal of the woman I want. And I do want her. More than anything.

“These are my cats. Some of them needed homes and I thought, Why not with me?” “Why are they here and not at the archives?” “Oh, the cats at the archives are different cats.” “But why so many?” Sparrow grins wickedly at me. “Because I’m my own woman, and no one can tell me no. And I love cats. And Hawk loves me. So…cats.”

And I’m becoming increasingly desperate to rule Gwenna out, because I’m growing obsessed with her.

“You make family where you can, and you make the best of a bad hand every time.

“Sweet little bantam, you should know you have no competition. In this world or the next.” “Keep saying things like that and you’re going to get your knot bitten again.”

“You don’t think I’m obsessed with you?” Is she mad? Has she not noticed how obsessed I am? I’m all but slavering for just a hint of her attention.

“You’re the strangest woman I’ve ever met.” “I know. I probably seem like a lunatic to you.” “I also can’t stop thinking about you. If you’re crazed, so am I.”

This is Raptor. This is the Taurian I want to touch me, desperately. This is someone I want to look at me with love and affection, and I just know that will change the moment he learns the truth of who I am. He’ll look at me with wariness. Like he doesn’t know who or what I am. And it will destroy me inside.

“Don’t be mean or I’ll come too soon.”

“My good mate. My sweet mate.” His mate? I suck in a breath. Why do I love that so much?

“This is new for me, though. Knotting someone I like, someone I care for. I want it to be good for you.” “You care for me?” Raptor huffs. “Is that not obvious, woman?”

“I’ve been in agony for the last few weeks, obsessed with you when I should have been hunting for Sarya. Thinking I was betraying her every time I had a lusty thought about you. Falling for your personality and your strength even as I was supposed to be focusing on Sarya.

“You think I claim just anyone as my mate?”

My mate. It’s the only word that fits for what Gwenna is to me.

“Give me one of your secrets, then. We’ll be even.” I smile at that. “I’m in love with you.”

“I love you, too. It’s impossible not to love you, Raptor. You’re the best male I’ve ever met, and you’ve had my back always. Of course I love you. Even saying that sounds weak.”

“I was knotted inside her at the time of Hemmen’s death,” Raptor drawls. “She couldn’t have done it.” Rooster gasps. “Knotted?” Hawk echoes. “God-touched,” Raptor says, as if that explains everything. It does. Hawk’s eyes widen and he shakes his head. “Damn. That’s rough.”

“I’ll burn the city down myself before I let them touch a hair on your head,” he told me last night as he caressed my cheek.

“I can only imagine how annoying the knot is,” I say, even though part of me wants to reach down and rub it proprietarily, even now.

“Fine, you want the truth? I’m obsessed with you, Gwenna. I want to attack anyone who even thinks of looking at you twice. I want to hug the shit out of you every time I see you.

I don’t care if you’re a mancer or a maid or an artificer. I just want to be near you, breathing in the same air and hoping for a smile. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. So aye, you’re my mate…but you don’t have to be. If it’s not what you want, I’ll back off.”

“What’s your logical solution?” “Well. Hear me out.” Arrod pauses and looks over at Kipp. Kipp gestures, indicating a knock over the head and then dragging the unconscious man away. Arrod is shocked. “Mucking five hells, Kipp! I was thinking we’d distract him!”

“You’ve been mine since the first day we met, and nothing today is going to change that. You think I would let you be in danger? That anyone here could keep me from my mate now that she’s safe in my arms? I’ll handle this, little bantam. You don’t need to worry at all.”

If I must fight to shield my mate and my companions until my last dying breath, I will. If I have to fight all of Vastwarren to protect Gwenna, I’ll gladly do so. If I have to fight the gods themselves to keep her safe…bring it on.

Count on Hawk to swoop in and save the day. Someone probably threatened a hair on Sparrow’s head, and he cleaned house.

“We’ve got to quit meeting like this,” I murmur. “I don’t know. Every time I wake up with you next to me, I consider that a win.”

“The nestmaids,” I say, the uneasy feeling returning. “They’ve been arrested, right?” “Why would the nestmaids be arrested?” “Because Mistress Umala is the one behind it all.

“You might want to take your innocent little wife home, Hawk,” he drawls, striding toward me. “Or she’s going to see me do some absolutely filthy things to my mate.” Sparrow lets out an alarmed squeak and releases me as if I’m on fire.

I don’t mind doing things the hard way, as long as we do them together.”

“Now we get to work, my pretty little Starling.” I like my name quite a bit when he says it like that.