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She smiled saucily.“As a well-trained familiar should do.”
A line formed between his dark brows.“I highly doubt the Convocation Academy taught you how to handle situations like that.”
“You’d be surprised.”When his frown deepened, she stopped being so flippant.“Remember, my only love, that I am also the first daughter of one of the most powerful houses in the Convocation.My skills and knowledge include a great deal learned in House Elal, as well as at the academy.I know what wizards are like, and Maman had decades of managing Papa, which she did very well, no matter the particular scene you witnessed.”Her mood dimmed at the thought of Maman possibly still kept in alternate form.Though Papa would surely need to access her magic, which he could only do with her in human form.Perhaps Maman was only being prevented from corresponding.Nic really needed to finish that letter to Alise, to find out what her sister knew of their mother’s well-being.
“I know I’m exceptionally fortunate to have you as Lady Phel,” Gabriel said, lifting their joined hands to kiss the back of hers.“Speaking of which, we should move forward with the wedding plans.It will give my mother something to focus on,” he added, when Nic opened her mouth to protest, “besides worrying about Selly.”
“All right.”She smiled, then kissed his hand, too.“As my wizard master wishes!”Then laughed at his irritation.“I’ll go oversee the exodus.You stay here, see if you can dry up the road out of here, and maybe clean up this silver.I know I’m covered in it.”
He glanced about in dismay, just noticing the silver dusting every surface, including the back of her gown.Brushing at it, he groaned.“If you go out there, everyone will know what we’ve been doing.”
“And won’t be surprised,” she agreed.“You’re far from the first wizard to fuck his familiar senseless after riding a magic wave like that.”
“Nic.”His voice held flat warning.
“Sorry, I’m a bit giddy still from said fucking.”She danced away from him, giving him a seductive glance over her shoulder.“So, unless youhave need of meagain, I’ll go ensure that your orders have been duly executed.”
He glowered at her.“I’d spank you if I didn’t think you’d enjoy it.”
“You already did, a little, and you’re right—I did enjoy it.”She started gathering her skirts as if to pull them up.“You destroyed my panties, so I’m naked under here.Shall I bend over the desk again so you can—”
“No.”
“Pity.If you like, I’ll limp a little, so they’ll know exactly how you—”
“Nic!”he nearly shouted, clenching his hands into fists—and sending her into a fit of giggles.
“I’m going, I’m going.”The smile still stretching her face, she reached for the library doors, remembered they were nailed shut.“Oh, dear,” she cooed.“I seem to be trapped, still in my wizard’s dastardly clutches.Does that mean…” The silver nails flew out, pinging to the floor.“Thank you!”she sang, and slipped out the doors.
The exodus wasindeed well underway.Though, with the small number of people who’d decided to leave, it hardly merited the grandiose term.Fortunately, Asa and Laryn had efficiently packed the proctor and her things into the carriage, so Nic was spared confronting her old nemesis again.
The dining table had been cleared of dinner, though the silver detritus remained.Pocketing the silver spikes set neatly at the end of the long table, she retrieved the stack of signed NDAs also.Mentally comparing them with the departing parties, she made sure that everyone who’d chosen to remain had indeed signed one, including the familiars.As she reviewed them, she hummed a tune under her breath, her body singingly alive and deliciously sore.
Turned out that intense bout of sex had been exactly what she needed to settle herself in her own skin again.A useful note for the future, if she could convince Gabriel that she truly craved that from him.
“Nic?”Quinn Byssan slipped into the otherwise empty dining hall, her eyes wide, manner full of hesitant curiosity.
“Quinn.”Nic smiled at her friend.“How are you and Sage?No lingering effects from tonight’s demonstration, I hope.”She waggled their signed NDAs.“I’m so glad you decided to stay.”
“Sage is less certain, but I convinced her.Where else could we go that will allow me this kind of flexibility?Sage talked to Lord Phel, you know, about me being able to choose a husband for myself, from an approved list of candidates,” she added hastily, as if Nic would reprimand her for impertinence.
“He mentioned,” Nic replied warmly.“And he approves of the plan, so we can look into arranging that.”Later.Much later.After they handled everything, she reflected ruefully, gazing at the stack of NDAs in her hand and mentally calculating how many contracts they still needed to draft versus those already drafted.And that didn’t account for the continuing arrivals.Plus they needed to check out that workroom before they let anyone else in there, and deal with Selly, once they found her.Also: brace for war, get the House Phel product line going, and plan a wedding.She rubbed her forehead.
“Nic?”Quinn waved a hand, recalling Nic’s attention.“Are you all right?”
“Yes,” Nic answered in all sincerity, letting her very real happiness and satiation show.“It’s been a long day, and there’s lots to do is all.”
“Well, Sage and I haven’t seen or signed the contract yet, and Sage cautioned me that much depends on Lord Phel’s exact requirements of her, but if we stay—and I hope we do!—then I’m happy to help with the contracts and trademark applications.Sage can only work so many hours before she needs to rest, and I like to keep busy.As Sage mentioned, I was always good at trademark law in the mock trials at Convocation Academy.”
“I remember,” Nic replied.“You were more than good.You’re a champion.”
“For a familiar,” Quinn said modestly, but clearly pleased.
“The last time I checked,” Nic said in a dry tone, “whether or not we can perform magic is irrelevant to our other skills and intelligence.”
Quinn wrinkled her nose as she laughed.“What they’re saying is true—Lord Phelhasinfected you with his radical ideas.”
Nic stilled, a rill of foreboding running chill through her.“Who is saying that?”
