“There is no way to do that,” Xyrath said, putting his hands on Satia’s shoulders.“By the time you gather the replacement materials and find a new blood mage, given how rare they are, Xykeir will be too old, yes?Not to mention the cost.”He rubbed her shoulders.“You can try again.With our next child.”
Satia sighed.“Fine.We’ll just kill the wretched mage and the idiot then.”She shot them a glare.
Nora’s hand tightened on the stone knife.Neither Tassos and Witless looked up from their charges, but Nora saw the tightening in Tassos’s shoulders.
“It’s his fault, I know it is.”Satia pulled away from Xyrath and moved to tower over Tassos.“They should die.”
“No,” Xyrath said firmly.“We don’t know what happens if a bond-slave dies.You haven’t lost one.Your father died in battle, along with all of his men, and we don’t know the details of their deaths.”
“The instructions say—” Satia started to argue, but the King cut her short.
“We will not risk my heir,” Xyrath said firmly.
They glared at one another for long moments until Satia looked away.“He wasted my time, and my money, and now he’s worthless to me,” she grumbled drawing back her foot as if to kick the mage.
“But not to Xykeir,” Xyrath said, taking gentle hold of her arm and, apparently accidentally, pulling her just off balance enough that she had to set down her foot.They studied Tassos as if he were a particularly nasty bug.“True, the idiot is a waste, but the mage?Our son will have a mage under bond, and not a Chained Mage.No Guild.No costly contract.Think of that.”
Nora held her breath as her Bonded’s eyes narrowed.“Can you still work magic, you stinking treacherous turd?”Satia demanded.“If I command you?”
Tassos looked up, his eyes dull, his voice rote.“Only as I am commanded by my Bonded.”
“There, you see?”Xyrath chuckled.“Our son will have him turning people into frogs in no time.A few years at most.”He chuckled.“Besides, once we’re sure it’s safe, we can always kill them later.”
Satia glared, frowning.Nora could see her considering the possibilities.
“We can say that he is to tutor Xykeir and his hearth-band.”Xyrath looked around.“This would make a fine classroom, with some rugs.In the meantime, he can read all these books for me.”He gestured to the crammed shelves.“For my little project.”
“Fine,” Satia snapped.“But they are banished to the nursery and this classroom.I never want to see them again.They can help care for the babes.”
“Excellent,” Xyrath said.“Your women can see to the details.Trust me, beloved,” he continued, guiding Satia toward the doorway, “this just serves to make you appear more mysterious, more powerful.No one will have any idea that it didn’t go as planned.”
“As long as no one knows,” Satia said with a pout in her voice as she went through the door.
“You remain utterly terrifying, my sweet,” Xyrath said, reaching out to stoke Satia’s cheek with one finger.His voice lowered as he moved closer to her.“Come, let’s to sleep.You are so beautiful this way, dearest.
“We can start on trying for our next child.”He closed the door behind them as they left.
Nora felt like she could take a breath.
Avice headed for the scroll box.“Get them all to the nursery.”
Caris and Mira started to herd Witless and the babes.
Nora stared at Tassos, looking for…something.
The mage rose to his feet, Xykeir in his arms.There was a glint in his eye, the echo of a promise.He gave her the slightest of nods.
Nora nodded back.
Then Xykeir yawned and dullness filled Tassos’s eyes.He focused back on the babe and headed for the door.
“Nora,” Avice said, holding her hand out for the knife.“We need to get you cleaned up.”
The restraints were still on Nora, still tight.She handed over the blade.Avice sheathed it and placed it in the box, closing it with a snap.She picked up the bottle of letheon.“Come,” she said as she headed to the door.
Nora didn’t resist.She followed Avice, but deep within her, a new desire smoldered.
A burning determination to be free.
