FULL NOVELXO Chapter RHYERS - You Told Her What!
Marshall Manse, Mane Country
RHYERS
“Good Morning!” Rhyers called into the house as the butler let him in.
“In here.” Samuel announced from the Parlor.
Rhyers entered the room. Waving away the butler.
“Tea and cakes?” Sam offered.
“No, thank you.” Rhyers took his spot on the white settee. Opposite the two chairs where the Marshall siblings sat.
Sam quietly partook of the cakes and sipped tea.
His eyes slid to Ebony who was sitting back in the chair with a cup of tea partway to her mouth. Hovering there and jaw agape as she unabashedly peered at him. “What?”
“I’ve never seen one…” She murmured thoughtfully.
One what? What’s she talking about? Rhyers’ brow knitted.
Samuel choked slightly and ducked his head into his shoulders.
What’s going on? Rhyers looked from one to the other wondering what he’d missed.
“I think it best I excuse myself.” The dark-haired young woman slid from the chair with a haughty sweep of her hair and exited the parlor.
As though she’s offended by my presence.
What’d I do now?
I just got here!
“What’s gotten into her?”
“I told her you were odd.” Sam said off-handedly.
“That’s fair.” Rhyers sat back to run his arm along the back of the settee. “I am odd.”
“She decided I meant you were a boy-lover.” Sam cleared his throat. Voice tapering off at the end.
She thinks I garner the companionship of men?
Why in Ardae would she think that?
I don’t! It’s not true!
“A what!” He lurched forward. Green eyes saucers. “Wha-she-how-why!” He blinked rapidly and shook his head. “How’d she gather that?”
“Well…I let her believe it.”
“Why would you do that!”
“You hurt her feelings.”
“So that makes slandering my name, warranted?”
Sam looked up enough to give a half-hearted shrug.
“Then why am I always in the presence of women!”
“I don’t know.” Sam shrugged. “Perhaps to hide what you really are…That parts true.” He pointed out.
Hiding I’m an immortal spy.
Not keen to lie with my own gender!
What the Hell! Rhyers had a momentary fantasy of lunging over the parlor table and wrapping his hands around his friend’s slim neck. To choke the life out of him.
After a long silence where they only looked at each other, Rhyers cried. “Fix it!”