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“It’s a firm no if the proctor wants to travel in the company of hunters,” Gabriel cut in. “I won’t allow those things near you. I won’t allow them anywhere on our lands.”
“Then tell them so,” she replied with considerable exasperation. “Play arrogant Lord Phel, say that you have no agreement of reciprocity with House Tadkiel—true—and that you won’t allow Tadkiel magic on your lands until you do. But that you will welcome the proctor so—”
“I don’t welcome her. I met her at House Elal after you fled, remember? Her and that vile oracle head. I don’t want either of them near you.”
Nic pressed her lips closed and waited quietly, sipping her tea.
Gabriel growled, deep in his chest, and folded his arms. “Fine. I’ll stop interrupting.”
“I’m far from fond of the proctor,” Nic continued agreeably. “She can, however, attest to the successful bonding. If I appear sufficiently contrite and utterly enchanted with being your familiar, slavishly devoted to my wizard master…” That grinding sound must be Gabriel’s teeth, but to his credit, he didn’t interrupt her. She gave him a warm smile. “Perhaps we can get the Convocation to give me a probationary period to demonstrate that I’ve changed my ways. After that, they might leave us alone for a while.”
“I want them to go away forever,” Gabriel ground out forbiddingly.
“You might as well wish the sun from the sky,” she retorted. “The Convocation rules the world and—”
“Notallthe world,” he countered.
“All ofourworld, they do. I tried to escape the Convocation, remember? They sent the hunters after me anyway. You want to restore House Phel? Then we need to be in good status with the Convocation.”
He gazed at her, sensuous lips slightly parted, black eyes opaque with dark thoughts. “I’m not sure I care about that anymore.”
“Then start caring again,” she replied briskly. “Because to all those people who welcomed you home yesterday, you are the sun of their universe. They need you.”
“Meresin survived before I manifested as a wizard.”
“Gabriel,” she said softly, “you tried to deny your nature. It didn’t work. And now that we know your sister, Seliah, is a familiar, you can’t go back to paddling about the swamps and pretending these things don’t affect you. She’s already losing her sanity. If we don’t get her Convocation training—and eventually a wizard to tap her magic—it will kill her.”
He grimaced, nodding reluctantly. “But I don’t want that proctor going near Selly.”
If Nic’s brief introduction to Gabriel’s sister was any indication, Seliah wouldn’t be capable of a conversation with the proctor. It made sense that she had manifested as a familiar, as far as any of the strange happenings made sense in the sudden, unprecedented resurrection of House Phel. The family, including all extended branches, had failed to produce anyone with measurable MP scores for generations—thus losing them their house status—and then Gabriel appeared. An adult wizard, self-taught, with MP scores of the highest levels.
Of course his sister just had to be talented, too. Because familiars couldn’t work magic on their own, their manifestation tended to be less dramatic. With no one trained to recognize magical potential, Seliah had lived with untapped magic well into her twenties. It was a miracle she was still alive, let alone able to string two words together. Though Nic hadn’t wanted to upset Gabriel by putting it that strongly.
The best place for Seliah was Convocation Academy, but Gabriel wouldn’t agree to that at this point. If Nic could demonstrate to the proctor that her training was intact, that she’d happily bonded to Gabriel and was indeed fascinated by her wizard master, the proctor would relax considerably. Perhaps at that point, Nic would be able to show Gabriel that the Convocation wasn’t all bad.
Of course, she’d have to explain to the proctor why she fled rather than marry Gabriel, but she had time to think up a story.
“So, you’ll reply to the Convocation and invite the proctor to confirm our bonding?” she asked, a bit tentatively, as Gabriel still looked apt to explode. For a wizard of the quieter water and moon magics, he was fierce when pushed. In truth, the man couldn’t be pushed, which was a large reason for her flight. Before she met Gabriel, she’d hoped the upstart rogue wizard would be malleable enough for her to manipulate. Ha to that.
She also hadn’t counted on the Fascination, that will-sapping desire that drove her to do anything to please him. Even knowing he wanted her opinion, she had to focus to go counter to his stated desires. Knowing that he wasn’t being reasonable, or thinking like a truly ambitious wizard should, only helped her resolve to a small extent.
“I’ll draft a reply and you can look it over,” he conceded.
“All right.” She’d call that a successful negotiation.
Unfortunately, that left only the missive from her father still to read. It lay between them on the small table, like a snake coiled to strike. Her stomach chilled at the prospect of reading of Papa’s furious disappointment in her, she who’d once been his golden child. The one he’d trained to succeed him as the head of House Elal. Until she turned out to be a familiar instead of a wizard. When she’d made the decision to flee, she’d known she risked losing his respect and love forever. She’d also thought she’d be so far away that she wouldn’t have to face it.
“You don’t have to read it,” Gabriel said gently.
“I think I do.”
“At least finish your breakfast first.”
She glanced at the remaining piece of cold poultry, her stomach revolting. “Is it awful?” she asked in a small voice, feeling ridiculously like a child.
“He’s obviously not happy,” Gabriel replied slowly. “Though most of it is directed at me for interfering in recovering you, against his specific orders. He wants you to come home.”
She met Gabriel’s black gaze, taking in his oh-so-neutral mien. He’d let her go, too. Had offered to before. “This is my home.”
