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“Illusions enhanced with mind magery to resemble a living being. My Queen, don’t you think your magic tutor deserves a reward for such a feat?”
“I am supposed to give you more blood. Are you certain you don’t hurt anywhere?”
“I’m in dreadful pain,” he moaned. “I need a willing human to save me from my agony.”
She tsked. “You’ve been spending too much time with Hoyefe.”
“He has great success in the romantic arts. Is it working on you?”
She scowled. It was. But she said, “No. Until we are confident the Drink won’t cause you pain, all you may have is my wrist.”
Lio nibbled up the inside of her forearm. “I can make your wrist very rewarding.”
She could not let the sensation of his canines on her skin shred through her resolve so easily. “Rudhira said we would need to be…” A thread of thelemancy teased her thoughts. “…careful. Until we’re certain you’re not having any trouble s—s—” She drew a steadying breath as the heavy, dark shadow of Lio’s power covered her. So close. So tempting.
“Trouble doing what?” he asked, his voice resonating with mind magic.
“Sucking,” she breathed.
His tongue darted out to taste the sensitive skin on the inside of her arm. “Clearly the only way to know if I’m having trouble is for me to attempt it. Where shall I conduct this experiment?”
She pressed her vein to his beautiful, persuasive mouth to put a stop to his seductive words. He gripped her wrist, and she found herself compelled by the firmness of that touch.
All he did was give the inside of her wrist a gentle suck, but the resting current came to life and began to pull. His magic washed over her in a soft rush that sent a little jolt through her entire body.
“No,” she cried. “Stop.”
His power receded from her in a blink and left her as bereft as she was relieved. His flirtatious smile disappeared. “What’s wrong?
“There’s something I need to tell you.” It was so difficult to confess what she had done. One of the hardest things she had ever said.
“Cassia, you’re worrying me. What has happened?”
“I found out something about my magic…about us.”
His arm tightened over hers where she held him. She could see possibilities, fears running through his mind. Oh Goddess, she was doing a wretched job explaining this.
He seemed to brace himself. “Something that could interfere with your Gifting?”
“No! No, not that. Oh, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Bitter tears of shame ran down her cheeks. “Lio, no one in the world is more precious to me than you are . And yet I’ve wronged you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“This illness I’ve had isn’t the Craving. My yearning for you…the lust…all of that was our Grace bond, true. But what happens to your magic when we feast…it isn’t natural. It isn’t right.”
She heard him draw a breath. He was so composed. Too composed, the way he became when he was breaking inside, but still trying to be strong for her. “I think you need to start at the beginning.”
Cassia was far more expert at simply facing painful truths than at trying to explain them painlessly. But she told Lio what had happened at the greenhouse as gently as she could.
He pushed off her lap and sat up to put his arms around her. “You were ill—you needed me—and I didn’t know. I felt it, but I dismissed it as instinctive worry from being apart from you.”
“Lio, your arm.” She could feel the tremble in his limb. She gently loosened his hold on her, propping his injured arm across her lap.
“Never mind my arm. Was this fainting spell as serious as that time in the Maaqul?”
“It could have been,” she admitted. “But Annassa Soteira came to heal me. When they brought you back, she studied the magical current between us.” Cassia felt ill.
Lio stroked her face, lifting her gaze to his. “Whatever is wrong, I’m here now. We’ll face it together.”
