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“Yes, we did.” She transferred her gaze to the manse. “This is a good thing. Special and important.”
“The south wing does appear to be a mirror of the north,” he observed after a moment, and she giggled.
“What a practical observation, Lord Phel,” she accused with a mischievous smile. “I may be rubbing off on you.”
He nearly made an off-color remark about her rubbingonhim, when one of the visitors hailed them. “Hey there, the house,” a dark-skinned young man called. “Lord and Lady Phel?”
“Remember,” Nic advised under her breath. “Arrogant, powerful, lord of all you survey, including me.” She tried to tug her hand out of his, but he held on, suppressing a smile at her muttered imprecations about obstinate wizards.
Probably his impulse to wave in welcome wouldn’t fit the arrogant image, Nic recommended, so he straightened instead, inclining his chin slightly as the sled coasted to a stop before them. Three women and one man, all brightly dressed as if for a festival, bowed their heads in greeting. None of them could be any older than Nic. One young woman smiled directly at Nic, a happy glint of friendship in it.
The young man leapt out and bowed fully. “I am Asa, wizard and emissary of House Refoel, submitting my application to be contracted to House Phel.” He produced a rolled scroll with a flourish, stamped with the Convocation seal. “My MP scores and other relevant documentation.”
Gabriel took the scroll, bemused.
Asa seemed pleased, giving another bow. “I and my house welcome House Phel’s invitation for placement. We support and celebrate House Phel’s reinstatement, and we look forward to a strong alliance with the Convocation’s newest house. My familiar, Laryn.” He held out a hand without looking, and a dainty, fair-skinned brunette stepped out of the sled. She curtsied to Gabriel, eyes demurely lowered, then slid a curious glance at Nic, who nodded to her minutely.
“I hope,” the Refoel wizard continued, “that I will be an acceptable addition to House Phel.”
Gabriel realized—after a slight and awkward pause—that it was up to him to say something to the Refoel wizard’s obviously rehearsed speech. Clearly he should have Nic teach him some polite responses to these overtures.Arrogant, powerful, lord of all you survey.“House Phel appreciates the good will of House Refoel,” he replied. “Lady Phel and I appreciate the long journey you’ve made to join—” At the hiss of Nic’s breath, he hastily revised his words. “To introduce yourselves and apply for the position.” He waggled the scroll. “I shall review your documents.”
That was the correct approach, because Asa nodded agreeably, and Nic relaxed. Asa’s wizard-black gaze did linger on their joined hands, a glimmer of assessing curiosity there. Belatedly, it occurred to him that it might look as if he meant to access his familiar’s magic rather than holding his wife’s hand out of affection. Ah well, done was done, and he liked holding Nic’s hand.
The other two women now alighted from the sled, both golden haired and clear skinned, so alike they could be sisters. The one with black eyes took the lead, bowing to him and giving Nic a nod as well, presenting him with a similar scroll. “I am Sage of House Byssan and this is my familiar, Quinn Byssan.” Quinn bobbed a curtsy, smiling widely at Nic, who remained quiet and still, but her hand quivered with happy response. “House Refoel was kind enough to give us a lift, as House Byssan is on Refoel lands.” She gave a nod of thanks to Asa, then looked past Gabriel to the manse. “I understand you need some windows.”
“Indeed we do,” Gabriel replied, far more comfortable with Sage’s craftsperson’s approach.
“Point us at where you want us to start, then,” Sage replied agreeably.
Gabriel looked to Nic, hoping she’d take over. Thankfully, she did. “Welcome to House Phel,” she said with a deep curtsy. “Have you all breakfasted? Perhaps you’d like to rest after your journey. I apologize in advance that the manse is still being renovated, so we do not yet have rooms prepared for you. I promise some will be ready by the end of the day.”
“Quinn and I are fine,” Sage replied, glancing at Quinn and receiving a nod of affirmation.
Gabriel felt some tense part of him release at the obviously easy relationship between that pairing.
“We work best in regular bursts, with rests between, but we can go all day.”
“Thank you,” Nic replied warmly, and Gabriel began to understand that she could play gracious hostess and solicitous lady of the house in contrast to his forbidding arrogance. “I can show you where to begin. Wizard Asa?”
“I’m fine also,” he replied, notably not checking with his familiar. Asa’s gaze went to the bruises around Nic’s throat. “Laryn and I are early risers, and we all passed a comfortable night not far from here. Once you task Wizard Sage with your lists, Lady Phel, perhaps we can discuss a place where I can see patients. I’m happy to examine your ladyship first, if you like.”
“Oh, I don’t—” Nic began, tucking her hand in her skirts and Gabriel knew she’d been about to cover her bruises.
“That would be excellent,” he interrupted, giving her a quelling look. There were some advantages to playing imperious lord and master. “Lady Phel will be delighted to be your first patient.”
Her eyes glittered with some unspoken retort, but she acceded with an excellent pretense of meekness. The Refoel wizard accepted the declaration with a slight bow, his dark face mild. And yet, Gabriel felt judged by the other wizard, who clearly assumed Gabriel had left those marks on his familiar. He opened his mouth to explain, but closed it even before he caught Nic’s warning glance. Right. The wizard he was pretending to be wouldn’t be sorry for physically abusing his familiar. Likely he wouldn’t even notice.
Nic gave him a deep curtsy, not attempting to withdraw her hand from his. “With your permission, Lord Phel, I’ll give wizards Asa and Sage a tour of the manse. I know you have correspondence awaiting you in the library.”
Appreciating her deft delivery of the appropriate cues, he released her hand, feeling oddly bereft without the contact. And also not particularly thrilled at the reminder of all the missives—and those creepy couriers—likely awaiting his attention. When he’d decided to restore House Phel, he’d imagined more glorious battles and less paperwork. Didn’t that just figure?
“Thank you, Lady Phel.” He paused awkwardly, hoping it wasn’t apparent. “Join me there after your examination, please.”
“As you wish, Lord Phel,” she acknowledged humbly.Arrogant, powerful, lord of all you survey, including me.
The more he learned about Lord Phel, the more he loathed the guy.
