He felt the sharp edge of rejection slice his heart. “Won’t you at least consider it? We’ve done well together these past months and—”

“I can’t.” Marian turned away, her shoulders hunched as if he’d delivered a hard, unexpected blow.

“Why?”

“Because I’m not what you need,” she said, her voice filled with pain. “I’m just a Purple Dusk hearth witch with little formal education, no accomplishments that count for anything—”

“Wait just a damn minute.”

“—and I’d just be an embarrassment to a man who is the High Lord’s son.”

He took a step back, his head reeling. “You won’t marry me because Saetan is my father? Hell’s fire, woman. He adores you.”

She shook her head fiercely. “I’m not going to diminish the SaDiablo line. I care about you, Lucivar. I care so much. I’ll be your lover as long as you want me, but I won’t marry you.”

He took another step back. Then he laughed bitterly. “I’m good enough to bed but not good enough to marry? I don’t think so, witchling. Fine. You don’t want to marry me, that’s your choice. You want to stay and keep working as my housekeeper, that’s fine, too. But you’ll move your things back to your own room before I return. I’m no one’s toy, and without love, I’m no one’s bedwarmer.”

He leaped over the flower beds, lightly touched down on the stone wall, then launched himself skyward toward clean air—and away from a place that now filled him with pain.

“Lucivar,” Marian whispered as she watched him slice the sky before he caught one of the Winds and disappeared.

What had she done? And why? She was doing it for him, wasn’t she? Doing what was best. But . . . Her head felt stuffy, like it was full of cobwebs. So hard to think. But something wasn’t right.

He’d been so hurt. He shouldn’t have been hurt. Good enough to bed, but not good enough to marry? How could he think that? How terrible if he believed that. How could she leave while he was hurting so much?

She walked back into the eyrie and tried to settle herself with the familiar tasks of cooking and baking. She’d wanted to be sure there was plenty for him to eat that he wouldn’t have to fuss over while he was looking for a new housekeeper. Wanted to be sure he was cared for before she . . .

I love him. I don’t want to go. Why do I have to go?

She couldn’t think properly. Something didn’t feel right. But he hadn’t demanded that she leave, so she had a little time to figure it out.