Waiting for him in the library, having put the time to good use, Barl sat on the sofa with her spine straight and her hands folded, a careful smile pinned to her lips. Her courage faltered as she heard the leathery flap flap of wings. The scraping click of talons. A chorus of sighing, hissing cries. How many of those ghastly things had he brought with him? It sounded like dozens. Horrible. So horrible. But when at last the library door opened, she was in control again. Brave again.

Well, as brave as she could be.

Silent, Morgan stared at her. Heart racing, Barl stared back. He seemed… different. Oh, the familiar desire for her was there. That never left him. But laid lightly over it was a different kind of hunger. Burning within him, a different kind of power. As though the night he’d spent transmuting mages into monsters had transmuted him, too.

But into what?

He closed the door, gently, and wandered to the nearest book shelf. Trailed an idle finger along the old leather spines. “You left me.”

“Yes,” she admitted, showing him only her regret. “But I came back.”

His face twisted. “You left me.”

“Morgan…” His pain was genuine, and it hurt her. How could it not, when despite everything she still loved him? She held out her hands, inviting. “I am sorry. I was wrong.”

He took her savagely, on the carpet, ripping silk, tugging hair. Biting her. Bruising her. Weeping as he battered his way inside her. She didn’t fight him… and for the first time since their first time feigned passion and pleasure.

Lost in desperation, different, he didn’t notice.

When he was finished, still lying on top of her, pinning her, crushing her, he held her face between his tender hands and scattered kisses over her skin.

“Why, Barl?” he whispered. There were tears in his eyes. “Why did you leave?”

He was breaking her heart. How did we come to this? How could I have let things go so far awry? “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do, my love. Tell me.”

“You’ll be angry.”

“I won’t,” he said, and kissed her again. “I promise.”

He’d know if she was lying, so she’d have to chance the truth. “You frightened me. I thought you’d hurt Remmie.”

“I said I wouldn’t. Don’t you believe me?”

“I believe—” That you believe it. For now. “Yes, Morgan. I believe you.”

Smiling, his altered eyes soft with love, he rolled onto his side and pulled her against him. If the hard floor beneath their half-naked bodies bothered him, he didn’t show it.