Free The Sorcerer's Concubine (The Telepath and the Sorcerer Book 1) by Jaclyn Dolamore Page A

didn’t mean that Velsa is a toad, but what I will say is simply that your standards of beauty are not always predictable.”
    “And besides, it wasn’t a toad thing. It was just a toad. A blue-footed Atlantis marsh toad. They’re very rare and the smartest member of the toad family.” He looked at Velsa apologetically.
    “I still don’t really understand what the plan is,” Grau’s mother said. “I show the girl to your quarters, I suppose? It’s a little awkward for me. I don’t have a etiquette book on how to welcome a concubine. I remain skeptical as to whether this was a good idea.”
    “Of course it was a good idea,” said a man now entering the room. “We went over this. Every boy wants to sow his oats on the road. It was safe back when I served, but do you want Grau falling into the clutches of some Miralem whore?”
    “No, but, he’s responsible for an actual person now.”
    “We aren’t responsible for our servants? He’s grown up. He can handle it. She’s a Fanarlem. What is there to worry about? She doesn’t eat. I’m sure she can also help him keep his things in order at camp and—can she cook?”
    Grau waved his hand sideways. “Papa, can I talk to you a moment?”
    “Anytime. Here, we’ll step out away from the womenfolk.”
    They walked out onto the porch. Velsa could see the shape of them through the curtains. Grau was already gesturing a lot.
    Grau’s mother looked her over more closely. She had the same intent expression as her son. “I’m sorry about all this. You’re not exactly what I expected. We have two Fanarlem who work for us, and…” She folded her hands into the sleeves of her robe. “Well, I never liked the idea. I don’t think my son should buy a concubine. No offense.”
    “No offense taken. I don’t have any choice in the matter,” Velsa said.
    “Garen feels this is preferable to leaving Grau to an unmarried life, but I don’t know…” She snapped a look at the men on the porch. Then she leaned in closer. “Has he treated you well?”
    “Yes, madam. Very well.”
    “Good. I would hope so.” But now the older woman seemed at a loss in speaking to Velsa. “I suppose I might as well show you to his quarters.”
    She showed Velsa up the stairs. The house was substantial, about the same size as the House of Perfumed Ribbons. The furnishings didn’t seem too grand, however, just normal wooden benches and tables. The plaster walls were painted with designs that had chipped with time. Rain made the rooms dim and Grau’s mother didn’t light any lamps or candles, so they certainly were not the wealthy people in novels who always had magical lights as bright as day in every room, but perhaps this was for the best. Velsa wasn’t sure she would really want to live someplace ostentatious, undoubtedly with rules to match.
    She sniffed the air. It had a damp, cold smell, almost like a cellar. Her clothes were still wet, since she had been led away from the fire, so once his mother left she took off her jacket and boots and climbed under Grau’s blankets.
    His desk was cluttered with bottles and bits of branches and leaves and pebbles, sprigs of dried herbs. A shelf held more of the same, plus some tools and small bottles. Evidence of half-finished projects; potion-making, perhaps. From the bed, she could see out the window to an endless sky.
    I like him, she thought. 
    She couldn’t imagine what his mother must think. What would she think, if she had a son who brought a concubine home?
    But Velsa couldn’t imagine having a son, or a husband, or any family at all. She had always lived in a strange world where family didn’t exist, but everyone else in the House was the same sort of strange. Meeting Grau had brought her out of it, but he couldn’t bring her into his world either. Grau could never think of marrying her even if he fell in love. She would always be an in-between person.
    She heard his footsteps on the stairs and sat up, pushing off the