So she told him, and in the telling held back only her work with Morgan on the transmutation incants. It wasn’t her secret to share… and besides, she knew her brother. She’d never be able to convince him she and Morgan were right.

It was harder than she’d expected, reliving the worst of the past weeks. The fear, the binding, the dread of being prisoned magickless for the rest of her life. Remmie listened without speaking, only his harsh breathing and his eyes revealing the depth of his pain. It wasn’t until she told him about her and Morgan that he broke his silence.

“What?” Disbelieving, he sat back. “You and Councillor Danfey?” He shook his head, seemingly unable to say it. As though the thought of his sister naked in a man’s arms was more than he could stomach. “Barl.”

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected. A little happiness for her, at least, after so much pain endured and survived. What she hadn’t looked for was a stare of shocked disapproval.

You were pushing me at Barton Haye, Remmie. If I’d not pushed back, where do you think I’d have ended up? I never imagined you could be such a prude.

“He’s Lord Danfey now, Remmie,” she said, nettled. “His father died. And he’s not a councillor any more, either. He resigned his appointment.”

“Lord Danfey? That’s even harder to reconcile! Barl… what are you thinking? He’s a ranked mage. And he’s—he’s—” Remmie pulled a face. “He’s so cold.”

“He’s not cold at all,” she said, offended. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I certainly do! I met him, remember?”

“He was being a councillor then, on official Council business. That’s all changed. He’s different now.”

Remmie’s eyes narrowed. “Because he’s resigned. And was that your doing?”

“No!” Then she wriggled a little bit, compelled out of habit to be properly truthful. “Not exactly.”

“Then what exactly was it?”

“You’re as bad as the Council,” she muttered, poking holes in her unfinished slice of bread. “They don’t approve of Morgan and me either. So he stepped down. But I never asked him to.”

“I swear,” Remmie said, marvelling. “I never knew anyone who could find trouble the way you can.”

She glowered at him. “Well, one thing’s for certain. You haven’t changed. Always convinced that I go looking for strife.”

“I’m sorry. Barl, what about your binding? It’s not officially lifted, is it?”

“No,” she said, after a moment. “But they won’t try to bind me again. Morgan won’t let them. And neither will I.”

“You won’t…” He was staring again, aghast. “Barl, do you hear yourself? Who do you think you are?”