“I know that!” Nic fired back. “And what, exactly, do you think I could do? I’m not going to ride up to House Elal and force Papa to return Maman to human form. I couldn’t do that before I was persona non grata to him. Or hasn’t it occurred to you that I betrayed him and shamed our house? Papa will never forgive me, much less listen to my pleadings.”

Alise had paled, her magic thin and transparent. “And now I’ve done the same. Oh, Nic—what have we done to Maman?”

Nic shook her head, then laughed without humor. “Perhaps Nander can do something, then.”

“He’d have to drag his head out of his ass first,” Alise replied with a snicker, and they shared a smile, a real one. Despite the gravity of the conversation, Nic savored the harmony with her sister.

“Well, one predictable result of you coming to House Phel is that Papa will send someone to retrieve you. When they’re repulsed, he’ll eventually have to come himself.”

Alise caught her breath, a queer look of hope and trepidation combined on her face. “Will Lord Phel do that for me?”

Nic nearly rolled her eyes, deciding against explaining how eager Gabriel would be to defend Alise from their father. “He would. More, he can. He’s the most powerful wizard I’ve ever been privileged to know, and no fan of our father.”

“Interesting.” Alise nodded to herself. “I’ve already been hearing tales of his displays of magic. He’s not your typical Convocation wizard by any stretch, is he?”

“Not even close,” Nic answered with emphasis.

“And you’re pregnant,” Alise said, dipping her chin toward Nic’s flat belly.

“Yes.” Nic laid a hand there, imagining the child she and Gabriel would have, the idea thrilling and effervescent. If they all survived for her to give birth.

“You’re happy,” Alise noted softly. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself.”

“I am happy,” Nic replied, allowing herself to embrace that truth. Despite everything, she was happier than she’d been in her entire life. Yes, everything was more difficult, but she felt loved and fulfilled in a way she’d never before attained—and might not have, had things not worked out the way they had. “At first I thought what I felt for Gabriel was Fascination, which terrified me and is part of why I tried to escape, but now I wonder if I didn’t start to fall in love with him from the beginning. Which, to be frank, was also terrifying.”

“I can understand that,” Alise said fervently and without irony. “Is he worth it, Nic?”

Nic understood what Alise was asking. “More than. I will be happier and able to do more as Lady Phel, even as a familiar, than I would have thought to do as Lady Elal.”

Alise nodded as if that decided her. “Then I’m staying with you. Nander can be Papa’s heir.”

“You—I—what?” Nic stammered, and Alise laughed.

“I was serious when I said I never wanted it. I do not want to be the head of House Elal. Maybe that’s part of why I agreed to help Han and Iliana.” She chewed her lip pensively. “Maybe, in my own way, I was running away, too.”