His hand is on my wrist in an instant, and the blade is gone from my hand. I don’t even see where he tucks it away. He steps back and leans against the other side of the hallway.

“Tell me why you hate my troupe.”

I swear an entire storm rages in his eyes. His jaw tightens like he’s clamping it shut for good, but he seems to change his mind. “Your troupe,” he repeats. He pauses like he’s giving me a chance to take it back.

I don’t.

“The year I was an apprentice, my twin sister was an apprentice for your troupe. There was one cuff that year. I’m standing here, so obviously she lost. Xander was in charge of her training. He didn’t do a good enough job.”

“So you’re immortal, and she’s not.” I can see how that could hurt, but Xander’s been a magician for only four years, so Roman can’t be that old himself. I shrug. It doesn’t seem worth his bitterness.

“I haven’t talked to her since,” he grits out, like the words are a struggle.

So it caused a falling-out between them. It still doesn’t seem like enough to justify trying to scare off all of Xander’s apprentices.

“There’s only hurt in this, even if you win.”

I shrug. Hurt’s all over the place. It’s just about choosing how you want to suffer.

He shakes his head, like he’s giving up on me, and starts down the hall, then pauses and glances over his shoulder. “I wish I’d met you sooner.”

He continues down the hallway without another word, and I want to chase after him to ask what he meant.

Instead, I lean back against the wall for a minute. My pulse still races from all that magic.

I’m sure it’s the magic.

When I come back out, Xander’s standing by the front door.

“Where’s Willow?” I ask.

“They just left,” Xander says. “Roman said something about overstaying their welcome.”

“They weren’t exactly welcome in the first place,” I say, even though I feel a tiny pinch of loss.

Xander grins. “The true talent remains.”

“You can stay for cake if you want,” I offer.

“I’d love to,” Xander says with a wink.

I feel my cheeks flush and want to kick myself. He probably just wants cake.

When we reach the kitchen, the cake is almost gone, and I grab one of the last pieces. Xander leans against the counter. He watches me even as he says something to one of the kids, and I move closer to Parker.

Frosting sticks to the corners of Parker’s mouth. His eyes are bright. “This is the best party ever.”