“Pleased to meet you,” Nelia said, getting to her feet. A faint blush spread across her cheeks as Rylan approached, deliberately looking her up and down.

“Oh, the pleasure is all mine.” Rylan took her hand and pressed a kiss against her knuckles. Nelia’s eyelashes fluttered, and, for a moment, I thought she might actually swoon. “Hopefully, your position means I will be seeing you more often.”

“Hopefully,” she agreed, sounding more than a little breathless.

“All right, Bodyguard,” I said, barely managing not to roll my eyes. “Can you take me to dinner, then? I’m starving.”

“Of course.” Rylan dropped Nelia’s hand. “See you later, Miss Thrase.”

“If you break Nelia’s heart, I will send you off to the mines myself,” I warned as we all exited the room. I loved Rylan, but he was a player, and I wasn’t about to let him mess with my employee.

My employee. How weird is that?

“Don’t worry,” Rylan said, sounding completely serious now. “I intend to serve out my sentence in peace, so that I can eventually rejoin the clan. My place is with our family, and I’ve neglected it for far too long. I want to get back to it someday.”

I mulled Rylan’s words over in my head, my heart growing heavier as we walked. Rylan did have a place in our family, that was for sure. Mafiela might be angry with him, but he was her son. She would welcome him back into the fold as soon as he made things right with her. But I wasn’t sure there had ever been a place in the Jaguar Clan where I’d fit in the past, and now that my life had changed so much, I wasn’t sure there ever would be in the future.

24

I expected Rylan to take me to the large dining hall where all Mage Guild employees gathered to eat. But, instead, he led me past it and into the smaller, private dining room that was used to entertain guests, as confidently as though he were thoroughly familiar with the warren of a palace. I wasn’t really surprised, though—Rylan had always had a good sense of direction.

Iannis and Director Chen were already seated at the glossy, oval-shaped wooden table, enjoying wine and bread as they waited for the first course to arrive. Fenris was there too, as well as Cirin Garidano, the Finance Secretary.

“Good evening, Miss Baine,” Director Chen greeted me with a smile. “I am pleased to see you looking well.”