Iver quickly understood what Grey meant.
Because the unicorn had shown no reaction at all to his touch or to him riding it—in fact, it seemed rather fond of him.
But how was I supposed to know why this unicorn was so fond of me?! As the symbol of the Theocracy's highest rank, only Cardinals were qualified to ride a unicorn—and they had to be pure and kind-hearted virgins on top of that. Even male or married Cardinals couldn't touch one. If someone harbored evil thoughts, the unicorn would reject their attempt to ride it.
And obviously,
He was neither pure nor kind-hearted, and he was no longer a virgin, much less a girl. He wasn't even a Cardinal.
Iver completely lost his composure—
What's with the whole "two negatives make a positive" thing?! And it made a positive twice, didn't it?! Unicorn, did you mess up this round?! "...Is it Path affinity?"
Iver asked softly, "After all, I'm already at the Fourth Level."
"Cardinals are all at the Fifth Level."
Pure White replied, "Unicorns are beasts that gaze at the moon while holding candles. If you aren't a girl, then you're the only exception in several thousand years."
"I remember... unicorns have an affinity for the Dedication and Love Paths."
Iver asked hesitantly, "Could it be Path affinity?"
Could it be because of the Path Trait Twin Mirrors gave me? After all, No. 14 is a virgin, and also a Child of the Moon... Could the unicorn have seen through my identity as Iver and smelled No. 14 on me?
"How do you see it, Lady Pansy?"
Pure White reached out and gently touched the long, spiral horn on the unicorn's forehead, a horn more than capable of piercing through an adult's chest.
"To be honest," a crisp, cool