“Blood poppies,” Gabriel murmured, nuzzling her cheek. “I learned yesterday that they had begun to bloom. Your lips have always reminded me of them.”

Her heart shivered at the romance of that. “I don’t deserve you,” she whispered, wishing desperately that it was otherwise.

“Funny, I often think the same thing.”

She turned sideways, facing him, searching his face. He kissed her, lingering over it. “Blood poppies,” he whispered against her mouth. Then he lifted his head. “I may not deserve you, but I love you.”

“I love you, too, Gabriel,” she replied in a hush. “So much I think it might break me apart sometimes. I want to deserve you, too.”

His lips curved in a crooked smile. “That sounds like a good goal for our marriage. Let’s spend our lives trying to deserve each other.”

She had to laugh. “Shall we put it in the wedding vows?”

“Yes,” he answered, then kissed her again, with such leisurely thoroughness that she forgot everything for a while.

~ 8 ~

By the time they returned to the manse, several more groups of applicants had arrived. Some were hoping to serve House Phel as junior wizards, and a few were new graduates from Convocation Academy, responding to their call for apprentice wizards with measurable MP scores in water magic. It would be interesting to see the results once Convocation Academy began measuring moon magic, too.

Of course, once the Convocation, and Houses Elal and Sammael, were done with them, they wouldn’t be seeing anything at all. But Gabriel deferred their planning conversation yet again, saying they should deal with the onslaught of business, and she didn’t have it in her to break their restored harmony by insisting. Also, the more minions they had, the more people to fight for House Phel, should it come to that. And if they were destroyed, at least she wouldn’t have to make payroll. Bracing thought.

A virtual army of Ratsiel couriers had also arrived, delivering correspondence of varying importance. Nic volunteered to handle the correspondence while Gabriel interviewed the hopefuls. Handing him a stack of blank NDAs, she reminded Gabriel to get them to sign first. She promised to send more once she’d gotten them copied. She really needed that copying gremlin or—perhaps there’d been truth in the lie—a secretary. She and Gabriel could share someone, if they could find a person with the requisite skills. It wasn’t standard practice for the lord and lady of a High House to share a secretary, but—given how Gabriel just loved to share equally with her—it would likely work for them. At least to begin with. Quinn Byssan had offered her help, of course, but her first allegiance and priority would have to go to assisting her wizard.

Gabriel grimaced at the prospect of dealing with more people, but he agreed to the plan, also acceding to her reminder that everyone needed to sign contracts that day or be gone. She soothed him with the prospect of being able to rage and kick out the contract-hesitant, then left the library to him so he could have the privacy for his conversations. Since the sky remained blissfully clear and the sun had continued to warm the day to a delightfully balmy temperature, she carried the stack of correspondence with her up to the balcony sitting area off the master suite.