The last true mouthpiece

“I feel as though this might be considered cheating.”

Lex looked at her, eyebrows raised. “He challenged your legitimacy as my Oracle; I don’t see how pricing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you /are/ my Oracle is cheating.”

She laughed at the look on Lex’s face, like a cat that had been splashed with water. “Well, generally the Oracle doesn’t keep house with the Presence for whom they speak.”

Lex sniffed disdainfully. “That’s because they always seems tedious old men to be my Oracle.”

She laughed again, softer, reaching out to tweak Lex’s nose. “That is because your predecessor preferred them much older.”

Lex curled a lip. “Only because my predecessor grew bored quickly and wanted Oracles who were unlikely to last long.”

Lex remained rigid as she leaned in, bumping noses lightly before resting their foreheads together. “You chose a different path.”

Like a dam breaking, Lex’s tension flooded away. “I chose a different path.”

She rubbed their noses together gently. “You embraced a different light,” she prompted, falling patiently silent.

“I embraced a different light,” Lex sighed dutifully, almost relieved.

She dropped her voice, only just loud enough for the two of them. “You sought out your Voice.”

Lex smiled now, eyelids dropping shut. “I sought out my Voice.”

She pushed further into Lex’s space, smiling softly when Lex’s eyes opened again, a question clearly forming. “Your Voice has to go embarrass a pretentious Capital priest now.”

Lex huffed out a laugh. “I thought you said this was cheating.”

She shrugged fluidly. “It is. I didn’t say that would stop me. What fun is it taking up with a demi-god if I don’t enjoy myself once in a while?”

Lex grinned fully, leaning in for a quick kiss. “Go have your fun and then rest up. Tonight I’ll remind you of the fun you enjoy taking up with a demi-god.”

“Are you planning on making me lose my voice again?” she teased.

Lex practically glowed. “Anything it takes to ensure I don’t lose mine.”