“That would take a lot of magic,” I said. Commanding Volusian full-time was difficult enough. Overriding that bond—even for a small order—was equally difficult. “I can’t think of any one gentry who could pull that off.”

“One gentry didn’t,” said Volusian. “King Dorian and Queen Maiwenn worked together to force me to come to you.”

I had to replay his words a few times before I finally believed them. “Dorian and Maiwenn? Worked together? They’d never do that. You must be confused.”

Volusian’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look as though I get easily confused, mistress?”

“No ... but ... it doesn’t make any sense... .”

Oh, sure. Dorian and Maiwenn were both extremely powerful, and I didn’t doubt that together, they could send Volusian to me. I also knew they each had valid reasons for it. Dorian had never approved of me running off here, and Maiwenn ... well, she wanted to kill me. Yet, those reasons didn’t exactly mesh with each other enough to explain why those two would unite.

“What exactly did they command you to do?”

“To come to you, mistress, and tell you they have a message for you. They also told me the message—”

“Did they command you to actually tell me the exact message?” I demanded.

“No, but—”

“Then don’t,” I said, relieved I wouldn’t have to magically counteract them. “That’s an order.”

Volusian’s face remained typically expressionless. “My mistress is not curious?”

“No,” I lied. I was terribly curious. But, I also didn’t want to be swayed by anything those two had to say. I didn’t want to hear Dorian’s pleas about me coming back, no matter how well-intentioned he might be—partially because I was afraid I might want to give in. I also didn’t want to find out what Maiwenn’s role was in this. If she’d convinced Dorian to work with her, then maybe she had some song to sing about how she’d seen the errors of her ways and no longer had a hit out on me. I certainly didn’t believe that, and honestly, I had a difficult time imagining him buying it either.