When he got near the edge of the pool, he propelled Marian forward. Her automatic step back gave him time to switch hands so that one now gripped her arm and the other held a fistful of her tunic. A hard shove forward, a swinging lift up, and—

“No!” Marian yelled. “My boo—”

—splash.

He used Craft to control her drop so she wouldn’t slip and damage a wing. Now she stood in heated water up to her waist, with a look on her face that was closer to grumpy than fearful.

Grumpy was fine. Grumpy was good. He wondered just how grumpy he could make her.

“Boots,” he said. He’d vanished them off her feet just before she hit the water. Now he called them in, dangling them over her head before he vanished them again. “Which you’ll get back if you do what you’re told.”

She stared up at him. “If I do what I’m told?”

Pointing at her, he said sternly, “You’re going to sit your ass down and let that hot water soak out some of the soreness in your muscles. And you’re going to stay there until I come back and fetch you.” He turned and walked to the entrance.

“Fetch me?” Marian said, sputtering. “Fetch me? What do you think I am? An addlebrained puppy?”

He turned back. “No, you’re female. And I don’t think it’s wise to discuss your brains right now.”

He walked out of the room, stopped as soon as he was out of sight, and listened.

Mutters. Then the slap of wet cloth on stone.

Lucivar grinned. So there was a little temper under that quiet disposition. He’d have to work on that. Shouldn’t be too difficult. He excelled at getting witches riled up.

When he got back to the side doorway, Tassle was waiting for him.

*I tried, Yas, but she wouldn’t listen.*

“No, she wouldn’t have.”

Tassle hung his head. *Because I am kindred.*

“Nope. Because you have a cock instead of breasts. She probably patted you on the head and promised to stop soon.”

*She did.* Tassle looked at Lucivar with interest. *Did she pat your head?*

“No, she didn’t.” If she’d been capable of lifting another rock, she would have tried to brain him, but patting any male wasn’t exactly on her mind at the moment.

The daylight was almost gone, so he couldn’t see the full extent of what she’d done in the past two days, but what he could see was enough to make him shake his head.

Hell’s fire, Mother Night, and may the Darkness be merciful. The woman was insane.