"Dain—" I started, my voice cracking. I tried again. "Dain, you're hurting me."

His eyes went wide and he let go of me, jerking his hand away as if my skin had burned him.

I put my plate down on the table so I could hold my aching wrist, curling it up against my chest. His claws hadn't broken the skin, but only because they weren't sharp like a cat's. I had dents from them, pressed deep into the underside of my wrist. Swallowing, I looked up at Dain, who wasn't looking at me, an expression of disgust and anger twisting his face.

Disgust at himself, I thought, searching his face. I reached up and ran the backs of my fingers down his cheek.

Dain jerked and stared at me, pained surprise on his face.

I rested my fingers against his neck, on the jumping of his pulse through his jugular. "Your watchfulness is appreciated," I said, keeping my voice soft. "I don't want to be anyone's slave, or to make a fool of myself. It would be nice if you'd use your words in the future, though."

His expression softened like seaglass in the waves, the sharp edges wearing slowly away. Dain let out a breath, his shoulders relaxing, and reached up to wrap his fingers around mine. "I didn't know they'd have heartflower, or I would have told you not to touch it," he said, lowering our hands to rest against his chest. "It's only mild for fae. It feels pleasurable, and makes us more willing to please, or compromise. We use it sometimes for treaty-talks." Dain sighed, and looked at me. "It makes humans beyond compliant. Nothing would matter to you but doing what you were told and making the people around you happy, and it lasts for hours."

"Then I'm glad you stopped me," I said, squeezing his fingers. "I won't touch it."

He looked at me for a moment longer, then nodded. "Good," Dain said, his voice low and... relieved. "I don't want to see you like that."

"Then we're on the same page," I said with a smile. "Let's finish grabbing food and get to storytime with Zhiolas, shall we?"

"Mm," he said, a slight smile touching his mouth. Dain relaxed his hold on my fingers, letting me pull my hand through his grasp. "I would delay, but I've been promised an equal measure."

"Cross my heart," I said, drawing an X over my chest. "I'll even share scandalous ones, if I get some in return."

"You want to hear scandalous stories about me?" Dain asked, raising an eyebrow at me before he started to add more food to his already heavy-laden plate. His tails swayed behind him; one ran along my shin and his wing-arms drew in as his shoulders went tense.