“I did.” His eyes gleamed with wicked glee. “The best one was when I told them your Venus flytrap was better than any sex toy. All those cups are like mouths and they can—”

“No, no, no! Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.” She clapped her hands over her ears. “Hummmm. Hummmm. Not hearing you.” Not a mature response, but it worked.

When she finally saw his mouth stop moving, she dropped her hands. She took a second to glare at Dacian. He seemed to think the whole thing was a hoot. Then she turned her fury on Bain.

“Who the hell gave you the right to lie about my plants?” Anger was the buzzing of a thousand enraged hornets in her head.

Bain looked puzzled. “I’m a demon, love. It’s what I do. I lie.” Then he smiled, that wonderful smile that should make her forget what he’d done. “But just think about it. I’ve made your little greenhouse one of the biggest attractions in the park.”

“Get out. Just get out.” She looked around for a weapon.

Bain opened the door and stepped out. Then he poked his head back in. “Oh, you might want to guard the bushy plant with the yellow buds. I said that eating just one bud would make anyone look twenty again. Lots of seniors seemed interested in that one.”

She glanced at Dacian. “Hand me a weapon. Something long and pointy.”

Bain closed the door behind him, and she could hear his laughter fading into the distance. Then she slumped onto the cot and dropped her head into her hands. “Oh. My. God. I can’t believe he said all those things. Why didn’t anyone warn me not to leave a demon in charge?” Suddenly, she looked up. “Is it seven yet?”

Dacian had wisely stopped smiling. He shook his head. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll take care of it.” He flipped off the lights inside the greenhouse, made sure both doors were locked, and then he stood concentrating.

She didn’t interrupt him.

Finally, he dropped down beside her on the cot and put his arms around her. “You and your plants will have at least an hour of peace now. I’ve surrounded the greenhouse with the suggestion that no one come here because it’s closed.”

Cinn leaned into him, allowing herself to relax for the first time all day. “I’ve never asked about your powers. Probably shouldn’t. There are some things I don’t need to know.” She was thinking specifically about Bain and the Venus flytrap. “But back in the great hall you started to say something and then stopped.” She left it up to him whether he’d tell her or not.

His expression said he didn’t want to discuss it, so she was surprised when he responded.