The council meeting had barely begun when Theron struck.
Lord Pemberton was presenting the weekly trade report, droning on about grain shipments from the southern provinces. Most of the council was half-asleep. Lady Ashworth was examining her nails. Even Aeron's attention seemed to drift.
Then Theron leaned forward.
"Lord Pemberton," he said, cutting through the monotony. "A question."
Pemberton blinked. "Of course, Your Highness."
"Your wife. Lovely woman. Been married, what, twenty years?"
"Twenty-three, Your Highness."
"And in all that time, has she ever objected to sharing you?"
Pemberton's face went blank. "I... sharing me?"
"With another partner. A human, perhaps." Theron's smile was innocent, almost sweet. "I'm asking because my own marriage involves rather more people than traditional, and I'm curious how other couples manage the... logistics."
The chamber went silent.
