"The crabs sold me, I'll have you know. If these can come out so well with only a little direction, then you have more of a knack for it than you let on," she teased. "It might have also been the blush."

She nodded emphatically, popping another small piece of crab into her mouth and chewing while he spoke. "The Coterie is an entirely different story. No one is going to willingly throw information into the hands of potential enemies. Not you, not me, no one in their right mind. If we sneak around, it's for our own protection, not to hide this." That was only partially true; she would still sneak around for the sake of keeping her friends out of her business, if only because she wasn't yet ready for the consequences of what might just be a deeper friendship than anything else.

"It's not shameful. Not in the least." He wasn't her dirty secret on the side, Templar or no. She wasn't interested in seeing him for his occupation any more than he was interested in her status. "So long as the people who find us aren't Madame Lusine or the numerous people who want me dead, I'll agree to that."