Chapter 11
“Ow,” Tom said anyway. “What are you, a seagull? I’m not food.”
“No, you’re my Arch-Mage who needs reminding that you’re human too.” Nicholas kissed the same spot, soothing. “Because you are. I might not’ve made exactly the same choices, in your place, but I’m not you. And I get why you’re here. I like you being right here. In your bed, with me.”
“I was a terrible Arch-Mage.”
“You weren’t, though. You aren’t. Present tense.” Nicholas tilted that head at him. Fiery hair fluffed up in whimsical post-sex agreement about this. “You proposed reforms for sentience definitions, more equal rights for both familiars and shapeshifters—”
“Which got argued out of existence—”
“But you tried. Someone cared. Someone thought about us.” Nicholas thought about this, and added, “Even if you were human, and the sort of human who’d quote Star Trek during public addresses. Honestly, what made you think that was a goodidea?”