He slid his hands up and down her back.“Somehow that doesn’t ease my conscience.”
Eyes sparkling with amusement at his expense, she kissed him again.“No, because you want to believe you’re above such things.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better either.”
“Do you want me to make you feel better about this?”She asked the question earnestly, not teasing at all.
He considered the question seriously.“No.I suppose not.”
“That’s what I thought.”She kissed him a third time, lingeringly.“We all have our flaws, and being flawed doesn’t make you a monster.It means you’re only human,” she whispered against his lips.“Now let’s go home.”
He lifted her into the saddle, and she caught his hand, speaking quietly, as if they could be overheard.“You should keep in mind—Elal magic doesn’t account for everything in those stories.They wouldn’t have been working alone.”
“That thought occurred to me, also.”
And an uncomfortable thought it was, too.
Nic still lookedweary in the morning, shadows under her eyes, which sparkled a bit less than usual.Fortunately he’d barely drawn on her magic the day before when dealing with the pit creature, but she still hadn’t recovered completely from taking alternate form so many times in a row.He also suspected the pregnancy was taking more out of her than she wanted to admit, though he was loathe to suggest that to her.
He studied her closely as they debated over breakfast when exactly to have the wedding—a topic his mother had brought up several times.He was all for as soon as possible while she continued to worry about spending time and energy on frivolous efforts instead of on the war she feared so much.
“Even this conversation is a waste of time,” she declared, throwing down her napkin and dropping her face in her hands.“We should be discussing what we’ll do when the combined might of our enemies drops on our heads.Not to mention the Convocation.”
He was also loath to suggest that their situation might feel more overwhelming to her because she was tired and that, if she’d take a day of rest, it would be good for her.“I do have good news,” he told her.“I meant to tell you last night but forgot.Iblis accepted yesterday’s counter-offer for Narlis.That, at least, is done with.”He decided against mentioning that it had all come out fine, despite Nic’s dour predictions.
Indeed, she dropped her hands and narrowed her eyes.“Just like that?”
“They sent a signed agreement yesterday.”
She tapped her nails on the table.“What was the final amount?”
“Worth it.I thought you’d be happy to have one less potential enemy to worry about.”
“The number, Gabriel.”
He should’ve known she’d insist.She’d find it in the house accounts, anyway, so he told her the figure, bracing himself.
“You wentup?”she asked in disbelief.
“I was tired of haggling,” he replied defensively.“It’s still far less than their original demand.”
She rolled her eyes.“Oh, well, now I feel so much—”
A knocking on the doors to their rooms interrupted her, and they turned as one to glare at the offending sound.“Why did you want to bring more people into the house again?”he asked with considerable irritation.
“I can’t recall.Clearly I was not in my right mind,” she answered drily as he got up to manually unlock the door.Despite the reconciliation with House Iblis, he doubted there would be magical locks in their future.
He opened the door to find one of the student wizards outside.Her eyes were large in a pale face.What now?
“Lord Phel.”She bowed.“Lady Phel.”She bowed again as Nic came to his side.“I’ve been sent by Wizard Asa to inform you that Lady Seliah has been retrieved and is in the infirmary.He asks that you both come at once.”
Selly.In the infirmary.Was she injured?Surely she wasn’t… dead.
“You go,” Nic said, her decisive tone cutting through his rising panic.“I’ll send for your parents and will be right behind you.”
He focused on her.His parents, yes.They would want to know.“Thank you.”
“Go,” she said firmly.