Page 85 of Carousel

Do you?

Tell me, if you do.

He turns back to Riss, while continuing to undress. Any colour that had been on his face is gone as quickly as it came.

I exhale. Maybe it was just the light.

“Actually, yes. It was a useful day, you know. The other pilots actually seem to like Drake, inexplicably... But that’s what we need, isn’t it? What we all need. No more Chapp incidents.”

“True,” she says, nodding. With a sly smile, she says, “I’m proud of you, Cosmer. You’re maturing in front of my eyes.”

He gives her his middle finger while she cackles.

Then he kicks off his breeches. I avert my eyes.

He drops into the bath with a splash so thorough it makes the other woman, Meg, glare daggers at him from across the bath.

Riss splashes him back. “Please be more careful. There are ladies here.”

“Where?” He smirks.

The heat is making me drowsy.

I drift away from them. Let their voices blur into the background. I close my eyes, and for a second, it’s like I’m alone.

Until a whisper brushes my ear.

“You have blockages.”

I jolt upright. Meg has crept closer, her long hair fanning around her like a fairy-tale mermaid’s.

“Sorry?” I peer down at myself. A blockage does not sound pleasant.

She speaks softly, in excellent Hevallan. “I can detect when blood magic has been used on a person. And it’s all over you. And the other one. Drake.”

“I don’t think⁠—”

“I may be able to remove it. If you want.”

I blink. “I didn’t even know I had it.”

Her already dark eyes darken further. “Then you should definitely remove it.”

I look around. “Right now?”

She leans back.

“Too many people around. I’ll think of a way we can do it safely.” Louder, she says, “That’s all right, isn’t it, Riss? I know you can hear every word I’m saying. Even though you’re pretending you can’t.”

I look up. Riss and Cosmer have stopped talking and are looking at us.

“I don’t know,” Riss says, nose scrunched. “Sounds weird. And how would we know you two weren’t conspiring, or something?”

Meg ignores her. Continues, calmly, “Lingering magic can cause a variety of symptoms. Headaches, dissociation. Loss of time. Have you had anything like that, Ara?”

The buzzing in my head.

“I… Yes. I have.”