The exodus was indeed well underway. Though, with the small number of people who’d decided to leave, it hardly merited the grandiose term. Fortunately, Asa and Laryn had efficiently packed the proctor and her things into the carriage, so Nic was spared confronting her old nemesis again.

The dining table had been cleared of dinner, though the silver detritus remained. Pocketing the silver spikes set neatly at the end of the long table, she retrieved the stack of signed NDAs also. Mentally comparing them with the departing parties, she made sure that everyone who’d chosen to remain had indeed signed one, including the familiars. As she reviewed them, she hummed a tune under her breath, her body singingly alive and deliciously sore.

Turned out that intense bout of sex had been exactly what she needed to settle herself in her own skin again. A useful note for the future, if she could convince Gabriel that she truly craved that from him.

“Nic?” Quinn Byssan slipped into the otherwise empty dining hall, her eyes wide, manner full of hesitant curiosity.

“Quinn.” Nic smiled at her friend. “How are you and Sage? No lingering effects from tonight’s demonstration, I hope.” She waggled their signed NDAs. “I’m so glad you decided to stay.”

“Sage is less certain, but I convinced her. Where else could we go that will allow me this kind of flexibility? Sage talked to Lord Phel, you know, about me being able to choose a husband for myself, from an approved list of candidates,” she added hastily, as if Nic would reprimand her for impertinence.

“He mentioned,” Nic replied warmly. “And he approves of the plan, so we can look into arranging that.” Later. Much later. After they handled everything, she reflected ruefully, gazing at the stack of NDAs in her hand and mentally calculating how many contracts they still needed to draft versus those already drafted. And that didn’t account for the continuing arrivals. Plus they needed to check out that workroom before they let anyone else in there, and deal with Selly, once they found her. Also: brace for war, get the House Phel product line going, and plan a wedding. She rubbed her forehead.

“Nic?” Quinn waved a hand, recalling Nic’s attention. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” Nic answered in all sincerity, letting her very real happiness and satiation show. “It’s been a long day, and there’s lots to do is all.”

“Well, Sage and I haven’t seen or signed the contract yet, and Sage cautioned me that much depends on Lord Phel’s exact requirements of her, but if we stay—and I hope we do!—then I’m happy to help with the contracts and trademark applications. Sage can only work so many hours before she needs to rest, and I like to keep busy. As Sage mentioned, I was always good at trademark law in the mock trials at Convocation Academy.”

“I remember,” Nic replied. “You were more than good. You’re a champion.”

“For a familiar,” Quinn said modestly, but clearly pleased.