With deep regret, Gabriel did something he never imagined doing to his sister. Ruthlessly drawing on his native magic, he extruded chains from moon magic, growing them like living vines to snake around the wrist Asa held, tightening to drag Selly’s hand down flat by her side. Selly howled in outrage, yanking her unchained wrist from Laryn’s grip and punching the woman smartly on the cheek. Laryn reeled back but didn’t fall. Gabriel whipped a chain around that wrist, too, restraining Selly on that side. In another moment, he had her ankles chained also, Rat climbing off wearily with a nod of gratitude.

Asa was at Selly’s head, speaking to her, though she screamed even more loudly now that she was constrained. “Can you put her unconscious?” Gabriel shouted to Asa. The last thing he needed was his mother arriving to witness this horrible scene.

Meeting Gabriel’s gaze, Asa nodded, his dark face grave. “I don’t like to resort to that, but…” He laid a hand on Selly’s forehead, having to grip firmly to keep her from shaking him off, and held out the other for Laryn. She obeyed readily, her magic flowing into the healer wizard in a bright stream.

Selly went limp, the sudden silence almost a shock. Gabriel hastily erased the evidence of what he’d done, withdrawing the silver chains, looping them into a coil and pocketing them.

“Are you all right?” Asa asked Laryn with concern.

She fingered her swelling cheek but nodded. “Save some healing for me,” she told him, “but I’ll live.”

“Always,” he said, smiling with an affection Gabriel had never seen his familiar return, though Asa seemed blissfully unaware of it. “Would you get the bindings? We’ll need to strap her down securely but comfortably, just in case.”

She hastened off to retrieve the supplies, and Asa turned his attention to Gabriel. “I won’t be able to do much without her awake. The most important step we can take is to begin to drain her magic. She has to be conscious for that.”

“Just as a wizard can’t tap a familiar’s magic while they’re in alternate form.” Gabriel recalled Nic explaining that. A natural protective measure, perhaps, or some of these Convocation wizards wouldn’t bother with the annoyance of having their magic reservoirs be walking and talking human beings.

“Exactly.” Asa had his hands splayed, moving them through the air over Selly’s prone form, his magic sifting down and into her. “For the time being, however, I can address the effects of dehydration and malnutrition, and attempt to calm her mind so that when we wake her, you can begin to tap her magic.”

“Me?” Even though Nic had assured him that the process didn’t have to be sexual as it was between them, the thought of taking his own sister’s magic didn’t sit well with him. “Can’t you do it?” he asked hopefully.

“No, Lord Phel. I really can’t. I’m not a powerful enough wizard to manage the huge pressure of magic trapped in Selly here.” He smoothed the hair back from Selly’s forehead, his face filled with compassion. “Poor girl is bursting at the seams with magic. That first tapping will be incredibly volatile. I advise that you have me here to help in case it’s too much for even you.”