Mouth open, I looked at Trent. The shocked billionaire was backing to the door. “Excuse me,” he said. “This was a mistake. If you will release Quen, I’ll leave.”

Ceri spun to him. “My apologies for keeping you from your next appointment. You’re a very busy man,” she said caustically, then turned her attention to Quen, slumped on the floor. “Is he a good person?” she asked abruptly.

Trent paused, and the metallic stench tickling my nose grew stronger. “Yes.”

“You should listen to him more often,” she said, crouching before him, her dress pooled like water turned to silk. “That’s why we have others around us.”

Jenks dropped down to me, and I wondered if Ceri thought of me like that. Sort of a servant with whom to talk things over.

Trent’s eyes pinched in worry as Ceri muttered Latin, and a black shimmer of ever-after coated Quen. He snorted, the black splintering away to silver threads when his eyes opened. Scrambling up, he stood while Ceri found her feet with more grace. It was obvious by his chagrined expression that he was surprised and humbled. I couldn’t help but feel bad for the man. Ceri was a handful, even when she wasn’t pushing us around.

“Did you see what I did?” she asked him seriously, and Quen nodded, his green eyes fixed upon her as if seeing his salvation. “Can you do it?” she asked him next.

Glancing at Trent, he nodded. “I can now that I’ve seen you do it,” he said guiltily.

But Ceri smiled in delight. “He didn’t know you practice the dark arts, did he?”

Quen looked down, then blinked when he realized she was barefoot. “No, Mal Sa’han,” he said softly, and Trent shifted uncomfortably.

Ceri laughed, the wonderful sound cascading over me like cool water. “Perhaps we are alive yet,” she said, touching the top of his hand as if they were old friends. “Keep him safe if you can. He’s an idiot.”

Trent cleared his throat, but they were lost in each other’s attention.

“It’s what he was made into, Mal Sa’han,” Quen said, kissing the top of her hand, the gesture full of grace. “He had no choice.”

Ceri sniffed as she drew her hand from Quen. “Well, he does now,” she said saucily. “See if you can’t remind him of who and what he is.”

With a respectful nod, Quen turned to me. I, too, was given that same head bob, but mine was accompanied by a smirk I couldn’t decipher. Jenks sighed from my shoulder, and I found myself rocking back off the balls of my toes. It seemed to be over.

“Just a minute,” I said, jiggling on my feet. “Don’t leave yet. Ceri, don’t let them leave.”