“I have no desire to go anywhere,” Nic told them.“And I’m sorry that we can’t help you.My sole opportunity was through that particular operation.If that’s gone, then I know of nothing else.”
“What about whoever connected you to that operation?”Iliana persisted, undaunted, and Gabriel began to see how this slim, delicate-seeming redhead had orchestrated this plan.“If you give us that contact, perhapstheycan help us.”
Nic stiffened under Gabriel’s hand, tension ratcheting to a breaking point.Gabriel knew it had been Nic’s—and Alise’s—mother who’d helped her, but Nic had sworn him to secrecy, terrified of Lord Elal’s potential retribution against his wife and familiar, so completely in his thrall.Nic hadn’t spoken very much about her sister, but Gabriel felt certain Nic wouldn’t trust Alise with this dangerous information.“I’m sorry,” Nic said.“I don’t know who it was.It was handled through a series of confidential messages.”
Iliana’s transparent face crumpled in disappointment.“Is there a way for us to send a similar message?”
“I’m afraid not,” Nic replied crisply.“But we wish you well on your journeys.Alise, you are welcome to visit, of course, before you return to Convocation Academy to resume your studies.”
“But—” Alise began.
“But nothing,” Nic cut her off crisply.“Our father will be angry at your skipping out on your education as it is.Only by going back will you be able to restore yourself in his good graces.”She turned to the familiars.“Han and Iliana—I’m sorry, but we cannot give you refuge in House Phel.You have to leave.”
Iliana nodded in resignation, but Han looked outraged.“Maybe you didn’t notice, Lady Phel,” he burst out, “but Iliana has injured her foot and can’t walk without support.We’ve run out of food and water.Our carriage sank in some sort of tarry bog.If you turn us out, we have nowhere to go!”
“No, Han,” Iliana said.“Nic is perfectly correct that we pose a danger to House Phel.She’s only protecting her wizard and her house.We can’t fault her for that.”
“I don’t need protecting,” Gabriel said easily, and Nic gave him a wide, deep-green glare of warning.He ignored her.“You are all naturally welcome to stay.And we have a Refoel wizard in house.I’ll summon him to treat Iliana.”He swept a hand at the great front doors of the manse.“Won’t you come in?”
After a moment of hesitation, Alise nodded at him, avoiding her sister’s gaze, and moved to the other side of Iliana, both of them helping the hobbling girl up the steps of the porch.Gabriel offered Nic his arm, but she pretended she didn’t see it, stalking stiffly beside him, her magic red hot and boilingly furious.She wouldn’t contradict or countermand him, however, not in front of the others.He should be sorry at this further evidence that she didn’t consider herself a true partner in running House Phel, but he was frankly relieved to have a reprieve from her bristling anger.
Also, he knew he was guilty of doing exactly what he was grateful she hadn’t done—contradicting and countermanding—but in this case she was flat wrong.He wasn’t about to turn away someone in need because of the Convocation’s draconian rules on familiars.He might be a monster, but he retained some principles, ones he was willing to fight for.With a mental sigh and a surreptitious glance at Nic, he conceded to himself that a fight was likely exactly what he was going to get.
Nic took over as they stepped into the manse, pulling her gracious highborn lady manners around her like an elegant cloak, all chirpy welcome and solicitousness.She guided them into the library, likely because it was closer than the walk to Asa’s offices in the south wing, and more private than the family dining hall.Along the way, she described some of the history of the manse, pointing out architectural details and describing the ongoing renovation—and also flagged down one of the copious new servants, asking for breakfast in the library and for Wizard Asa to attend them for a minor injury.
If he hadn’t been so keenly aware of her magical fury, he’d have thought all was well.Han and Iliana seemed to think so, giving her grateful smiles, but Alise slid her sister a couple of sidelong looks.Sisterly awareness or wizard’s instincts?It would be interesting to discover.
IfNic left him in one piece after this.