Sleepy Fox Hollow world

If she'd had less training, Fiona might have smiled at his comment on her being irritating. As it were, she was used to being tested. It was part of her job, after all, to listen through the worst insults and jabs. And, apparently, threats on the lives of children that had no chance of being conceived. The thought of bedding Etienne was anything but appealing. The same went for Anselm, although Fiona did think it would be fascinating in its own way for the science of it.

Her ear twitched, but she didn't move from where she was, even when his posture became oh-so-similar to the one he had shown on their first meeting. She had leverage now, and chasing her off now wouldn't do anybody any good.

Still, she mulled over the specific suggestion he'd had, should the tincture fail to do its work. He didn't want her for himself, as she had originally thought. The witch found it strange, then, that he should bed the other woman.

I have no interest in him, she said. Not romantically. Fiona studied him a moment longer, and it dawned on her. The homophobic jokes about Etienne's grandmothers, the pent up anger, the lashing out; he had not meant that Fiona should stay away from Etienne because he wanted her for himself. He wanted Etienne for himself. It played nicely into his hatred of women, she realized.