For a moment, no one was paying attention to them. Just the hum of equipment and the murmur of voices. She glanced sideways at Maldenis. And, annoyingly, her mind drifted back to that moment outside her apartment, the memory she’d almost seen when he reached for her.
Just a flash. But strong enough that she’d had to shove it away. Stone. Shattered columns. Voices shouting. And the weight of a dozen elders staring at him like he’d done something unforgivable.
She shifted slightly, studying him now.
He still looked relaxed, casual even, as if the entire spectacle bored him. But she’d seen enough glimpses of people’s thoughts to recognize when someone was wearing armor.
“You ruined a bar,” she said quietly.
“That’s random.” Maldenis blinked at her.
“The one by an old ceremonial site,” she added.
His posture changed almost immediately. “You saw that.”
She lifted one shoulder. “Through my power.”
He studied her face for a moment, probably deciding how much to say. Then he exhaled through his nose. “There was an incident.”
“So, what happened?” she folded her arms loosely.
“I was younger.”
“How much younger?”
“Twenty.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“Nine years ago,” he added dryly, “that’s basically reckless youth.”
She waited for him to tell her more.
“There was a bar.” He glanced toward the lighting crew as if checking whether anyone was listening. “Built right next to one of the older ceremonial grounds.”
“That sounds like a bad idea already.”
“It was.”
“And?”
He shrugged faintly. “I may have started an argument.”
“With who?”
“Several basilisks.”
“Of course you did.”
His mouth twitched. “It escalated.”
“I’m shocked.”
“Very funny.” He rubbed the back of his neck slightly.
“How big?”
“The bar didn’t survive.”
