“I think the power has gone to his head,” I theorized. Not that it wasn’t already heading in that direction to begin with. “But as Da—Zadok says, he’s clever. He’ll be cooking something up. He knew what your reaction would be, and he wouldn’t have taken that step without thinking he has the upper hand.”

“I agree.”

Despite my attempts to blink it away, my head felt a little woozy, so I took a step toward the empty chair by the fireplace. I wobbled on my feet.

Cair had his arms around my waist instantly. “Bed, sweetling.”

“But I don’t wanna,” I grumbled, digging my heels in when he tried to usher me to the door. “I’m bored, and I want to figure out what’s going on.”

“If I promise we won’t discuss anything further without you, and I make more of an effort to provide entertainment, will that appease you?”

I sulked, but he kissed me on the forehead in a further attempt at placation. It worked. “Fine, but only if I get to have a bath first. I stink.”

He dipped his head, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Of course.”

I let him guide me out, but just as we reached the threshold, Zadok called out. “One moment…” He marched to the other side of the room, boots clicking on the wooden floor. He slid a large black leather-bound tome out from the bookshelf before handing it over to me. “Take this. It’s a grimoire. Perhaps we can test you on one of the spells soon. Something simpler than fireballs.”

There was a hopeful look in his troubled eyes, maybe even a little apprehension. He wanted to mend the natural rift between us caused by the many years we’d spent without knowing one another, but wasn’t yet sure how to proceed. I smiled at him, aiming to ease his worries and show him that now I’d had the chance to process, I wanted the exact same thing.

“I can’t wait.”

* * *

Cair knelt next to the tub, his sleeves rolled up his arms and his hair tied in that messy bun that never failed to stir feelings in me. He had deflected my attempts to entice him into the water, saying there wasn’t room, but I’d have sat in his lap if it meant we could be closer, and I could have the skin-to-skin contact I craved.