League of the Black Swan, Tome 1 : The Cursed

Rio’s eyes narrowed and she planted her fists on her hips.

-Did you just say – wait. Dalriata? He’s really taking this Pictish King thing seriously, isn’t he?

Luke shook his head, baffled.

-Dalriata? Dal Riata? Irish colony in Scotland way back when?

He raised an eyebrow.

-You’re a Gaelic scholar, too?

-Hey, I read, all right? Just because I’m a bike messenger who never made it through college doesn’t mean I’m stupid, she said, flushing a hot red. It was too hard to be in classrooms with all of those minds shouting at me.

-I never accused you of being stupid, he protested, wondering how and when the conversation had gone to hell in a hand-carved basket. I’m not good at talking to women when they’re awake.

She raised her eyebrows, and he mentally replayed what he’d just said.

Oh, shit.