“We are going to have to retrieve Selly before facing the proctor,” she observed. Gabriel’s sister was a familiar—at least half mad from having untapped magic build up in her all her life with no release—but her family hadn’t had the knowledge to identify what corroded Selly’s physical and mental health. When Nic arrived at House Phel, she’d known immediately what the problem was, and that Selly couldn’t go on that way. Unfortunately, Selly had a propensity for running wild in the Meresin marshes, and she’d eluded their attempts to help her. Even worse, the tracker Gabriel sent after her, Rat, had brought Selly back just as the Convocation proctor arrived to challenge whether Gabriel had properly bonded Nic. The proctor had also seen what Selly was: a rogue, unbonded, untapped familiar. Before the proctor could take possession of Selly, intending to convey both Nic and Selly back to Convocation Center, Selly had escaped again.

Seizing the opportunity, Gabriel promised they’d retrieve Selly, but then dragged Nic off to the arcanium instead, hoping to provide conclusive proof of their bonding by demonstrating he could put her in her alternate form.

“We’re not risking bringing Selly around that proctor,” Gabriel countered. “I want that odious woman off Meresin land. We’ll just say Selly gave us the slip, which is the truth.”

“Because we didn’t actually go look for her.”

“Nevertheless true. Besides, Rat will have gone after Selly. He won’t like that he lost her again, and if anyone can find her, he can. Now, get dressed so we can finish this.”

“All right, all right.” She paused to mess with her hair in one of the reflective silver surfaces. Her short, dark hair curled wildly, in such disarray that only a grooming imp could fix it.

“Nic,” he said, a warning in his tone, “if I have to haul you out there naked to prove to that proctor that you’re properly bonded and can take your alternate form, I will.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” she retorted.

“Don’t test me on this, Nic,” he ground out. “I value your life over your dignity.”

“Fine.” She found her lingerie and gown in a heap by the arcanium door, where they’d fallen when he’d practically ripped them off of her. If not for the Ophiel magic that made the bindings loosen, he might have torn them. Good thing they’d survived intact, as she didn’t have many decent gowns. “You know,” she said as she dressed, “it’s overly dramatic to say that my life is at stake. I’m too valuable to be killed. The Convocation would only discipline and retrain me so that—” She ended on an undignified squeak, as Gabriel was on her in a flash of movement, seizing her in a ruthless grip and kissing the words from her lips. His mouth was hard and the fire in her leapt to his demand.

He ended the kiss as suddenly as he’d begun it, but without releasing her. He’d leaned his forehead against hers, his breathing ragged. “Nic,” he ground out, “if you love me at all, please don’t ever again speak so casually of those monsters punishing you and breaking your mind to make you obedient to me.”