“If you’ll excuse me, I think I will retire,” Fenris said. He pushed back his chair and stood, then bowed stiffly to everyone. “I’m afraid I am not feeling very well.”

“Of course,” Lord Logar said graciously. “Let me know if you need us to send a healer. We have one in residence, of course.”

“Thank you.” Fenris disappeared, and I wished I could have joined him. I could tell from the turmoil churning behind his dark eyes that whatever ailment he suffered was mental rather than physical. Clearly, he couldn’t stand to be around the other mages any longer. I toyed with the temptation of retreating as well, but it would raise eyebrows if the two of us left together, and besides, I belonged at Iannis’s side. So, instead, I turned back to the table, intending to check on Fenris as soon as this torturous banquet was over.

23

Home at last. A long sigh escaped me as I shut the door of my bedroom suite in Solantha and leaned against it. A weight lifted from my shoulders, and I closed my eyes, savoring the much-needed solitude. After everything that had happened, and the long, tension-filled ride back in the dirigible, I was happy to be back where I belonged.

I kicked off my shoes by the door, then passed through my sitting room and into my bedroom. I flopped onto my enormous bed, intending to do absolutely nothing but lie here and de-stress for the rest of the day. Life could wait for at least twenty-four hours. I was beat, both physically and emotionally.

The banquet had run late last night, and I’d been forced to schmooze and dance with the locals. Dancing with Iannis had been enjoyable enough, but dancing and conversing with dozens of strange mages was a different story. The banquet was supposed to be in our honor, but it felt more like an opportunity for Lord Logar to put me on display in front of his mages so they could examine me from all angles. They’d all been very polite—no one would dare say anything rude with Iannis around, not after what happened to Resa—but being under constant scrutiny had been exhausting.