“It was a good party.” I tilted my head. “I thought that when you reached your majority and took your father’s empty Council seat, you’d surely change the world.”

“I thought that, too, in my few and fleeting moments of embracing responsibility. But the lords of the Council don’t want to change the world, Amalia. They’re selfish and cynical, and they only want more status and money for themselves. They’re running the city into the ground and ignoring its problems, to the point of disaster.” He kicked at a mooring post. “Thank the Graces my father abdicated before the ducal throne fell to him, or it’d be my rock full of stingroaches to deal with instead of Astor’s.”

I stared at him. “I didn’t realize your father was in the direct line of succession. You would have been the ducal heir?”

“Yes.” Domenic’s cocky smile returned. “But that bullet missed, thanks to my departed father’s foresight in passing up the throne in favor of his younger brother. Now I have the freedom to run off and visit my friends when the company of my peers starts chafing like a saddle rash.”

I forced a laugh. But I couldn’t help but think if Domenic were duke, Ardence wouldn’t be stirring up so much trouble.

“You must come visit me soon, and bring your new book,” I said. “I have one to show you, as well.”

“It will be my greatest delight.” Domenic flourished a bow. “I can’t wait to look at Interactions of Magic with you. Some of it is brilliant, and some of it is … ambitious?”

“Oh? Like the time you tried to design an artifice device to do your artifice homework for you?”

“Perhaps not that ambitious.” He grinned. “The author has some grandiose ideas. He has wild dreams of using a combination of vivomancy and artifice to harness forces normally beyond the control of either. He babbles about inscribing gargantuan circles around entire forests or mountains.” He snorted. “As if you could maintain any kind of precision at that scale. It’d be more unstable than a drunk Loreician’s periwig. Have you ever heard such madness?”

Madness. I caught his eyes. “Domenic … All the same, don’t show this book to Prince Ruven.”

“I can’t imagine this technique would work. And Ruven did say he was interested in the book.” A frown pinched a divot between Domenic’s brows. “But you have a point. I don’t think I will.”