" How old are you?'

The question startled him. 'Earth and Air. There are times you are no more comfortable a companion than I am. The answer to that serves no conceivable purpose, and I refuse to give it to you.'

When I was a kid I read Black Beauty. There were horse-drawn cabs in that. Are you that old?'

Older, older, older. I shall not tell you, so you may as well leave off, my primrose.'

She snorted. 'I think that means I should give up. You've started sweet-talking.'

I am torn,' the phouka said, grinning, 'between responding, 'Oh, absolutely!' and 'What do you mean, started?'' He grabbed her hand, dropped a kiss on the knuckles, and loped across the street. Eddi felt the touch of his mouth on her hand for an inexplicably long time. "

― Emma Bull , War for the Oaks