I know that, if I asked, William would tell me what the Regents do to the couples they catch, but the shudder that passes through his shoulders tells me I might not want the answer. The more I hear about the Regents and the more I hear about how much they meddle in both Onceborn and Legendborn lives, the more I hate them. No one in the chapter has spoken of the Regents without a touch of fear, or at least deference, in their voices. Not Nick, not Sel. Not even Lord Davis. Who are these all-powerful figures who keep the Order’s records, control its bloodlines, and send Merlins out in the world like demonic assassins and hypnotists?

I change the subject. “So… what about a Scion dating their own Squire?”

“Like Russ and Felicity? Or Tor and Sar?” William makes an iffy motion with his head. “Scions dating their Squires can work—but imagine breaking up and then being bonded to your ex forever. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather eat my own aether sword.”

“Ah,” is all I can manage.

“ ‘Ah,’ she says,”—William lifts a mocking eyebrow—“as if this is just idle conversation and has nothing at all to do with her relationship to one Scion in particular.”

“Shush.”

William laughs again. I like his laughter. It brings small crow’s-feet to the corners of his gray eyes.

“So”—he wiggles his eyebrows playfully—“shall I heal your ass, or are you still worried I’m gonna check it out?”

I sigh and reach down to tug my jeans off. “You can check me out if you want. I’m not not cute.”

“Ha!” he says. “I knew I liked you.”

Once I’m in my undies and on my stomach, William begins. The aether feels like heaven over my tender skin. I stifle a moan.

“You know,” William says thoughtfully, “while you’re not as banged up as one could be from facing multiple demons, your vitals were all over the place when they brought you in.”

Apparently somewhere between the graveyard and the Lodge, I’d passed out. Nick had carried me the rest of the way and then down the elevator to the infirmary. I’d woken up to Nick and William bickering over whether the would-be king could stay in the room during my treatment. Once I opened my eyes, Nick had grumbled and left William to finish his examination in peace. William sponged off the muck, disinfected the wounds, and got to work.