Page 27 of The Dragon and the Dove

Anouk cut in. ‘It was Tobias who tattled on you. He was down in the garden, skiving off.’

That little snitch. ‘Is there no privacy in this damn place?’

‘Not when you make reckless decisions,’ said Ransom. ‘You know a ritual like this needs a chaperone.’

Eye-roll. ‘Since when?’

‘Since you nearly smashed your skull off the fireplace in the Cavern.’

‘I didn’t need a chaperone when I made you.’

‘You had no idea what you were doing then.’

Sera’s hackles rose. ‘And yet here you are, magical and mouthy and perfectly fine.’

‘And what about you?’ Those eyes flashed. ‘You’re so weak right now, you can’t even stand up.’

Damn him. ‘Yes, I can.’

‘Show me,’ he said.

Sera shot to her feet and immediately regretted it. Steadying herself on the bedpost, she tossed her hair back and tried to look like she wasn’t about to keel over. No way was he getting the satisfaction of saying I told you so.

‘Very convincing,’ he said, drolly.

She stuck her tongue out at him, then turned to Anouk and said, ‘Can you stay with Val? I’m going to go get some fresh air.’ She glared at Ransom. ‘Alone.’

Pride be damned, she staggered from the room, praying she wasn’t about to pass out in the hallway. The tightening in her chest was getting worse. She was halfway to the stairwell when a hand closed around her wrist.

‘Sera.’ Ransom’s touch was gentle, his voice beseeching. ‘Don’t run away from me.’

‘We both know I’m hobbling, at best.’

He resisted the I told you so. ‘You’re not well.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ If she could just learn to ignore her rapidly deflating lungs. ‘I don’t want to be yelled at right now.’

‘When have I ever yelled at you?’

‘Imminently, I’m guessing.’ Even now, shadows streamed from him, snatching at the daylight. ‘You’re practically vibrating with anger.’

He frowned. ‘I’m not angry. I’m afraid. I’m scared all that volatile power inside you is going to end up harming you.’

‘Because I can’t handle my own magic,’ she said, flatly.

‘I never said that.’

‘You just implied it.’

He rubbed the space between his brows. Quieter then, like he was afraid the portraits on the wall were listening, he said, ‘Seraphine, you look like hell.’

‘Now you’re just being cruel.’

But Ransom wasn’t cruel. Even in the throes of his magic, he was never cruel to her.

He tugged her into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them. Hands coming to her shoulders, he moved her in front of the mirror, his chin resting on the crown of her head.

She met his eyes in the mirror.