I raised my eyebrows. “What do you mean ‘if we ever do’? Don’t answer that, there’s no time. You’re not free of the Evil Eye yet.”

“Oh.” His frown was deep and weary, as if all the muscles in his face were too exhausted to do anything else. “Well, that’s okay. You did your best, I’m sure—” He sat up quickly, the color retreating from his face. “Kelela!”

“She’s fine,” I said. “Asleep in your bed.” I squeezed his shoulders briefly. It was always comforting when Saba did it to me, so I figured it would work for him, too. Maybe it did, because he fell back onto his pillow again, grinning slightly.

“Thank God. Well, maybe the four of us can have breakfast together.”

“Well, there are five of us right now, actually. Jember has graciously agreed to help me.”

Graciously? Sure, Andi.

Maybe my thoughts betrayed me, because Magnus’s smile deflated a bit. “Jember? Here?”

“Two debtera are better than one.”

“But he’s awful to you.”

I hesitated. I should never have told him anything. “He’s fine.”

“Fine?” Magnus kicked the blanket off himself as I shushed him. “He beat you. That’s not fine.”

“Disciplined,” I corrected with a sigh.

It was a good thing I never told him about Jember choking me. That might’ve given him a heart attack.

“Well, he kicked you out,” he said, throwing his hands up. “And he broke Saba’s heart.”

“It was the other way around, actually.”

“I love you, Andromeda, but do you really expect me to believe that?” He stood and combed his fingers through his loose curls, just adding frizz to his bedhead. “He was the first debtera we asked three years ago, and he refused the request to get back at her.”

“That’s ridiculous. And irrational. Stop riling yourself up.”

“I’ll ask him, then.”

“Asking will only make him angry, and it was hard enough to get him to say yes in the first place.”

“Then, by all means, he has my permission to leave.” Magnus swung the door wide. “But not before I tell him what I think of him. I’m going to go find something special to wear for the occasion.” And he stormed out of the room and down the hall.

I pressed my palm between my eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Was I the only person in this house with any desire to be civil?

CHAPTER 29

When I peeked my head into the game room, Jember was sitting in the chair facing the door, one leg propped up on the coffee table, the other lying underneath on the cold rug.

He glanced up from the amulet he was constructing. “Is the host awake?”

“He’s getting dressed.” I leaned my shoulder against the doorway. “Saba gave you silver?”