“And tonight?” I prompted, suddenly terrified shemight say no.
“Honestly,” Quinn said. My heart fell. “I would say yes. But I understand nothing about contracts. You said ‘not officially,’ and Angela already has it out for me.”
My heart raced. It wasn’t a no. “I understand.” I gripped her hands. “Friends. I want to spend more time with you, not just in training. But I won’t push for more until I’m officially free to.”
Quinn’s face and tether bloomed with excitement. “Then as friends, I’d like that.”Not what I wanted, but more than I deserved.
Chapter 5
Quinn
Rowanlikedme.Like,liked me.
Giddy excitement made my steps light, and the sporadic sunshine warmed my world. I trailed behind said mage, desperately trying not to be weird.
“Quinn!” Brody exclaimed.
Oh, that could not be good.
My recently absent stalker stood in the doorway to Hope’s office. I uncomfortably waved back as I tumbled from cloud nine back into reality.
Rowan wasn’t single yet, and Angela didn’t seem like someone who would let go without a fight. Worse, even if I wanted to help Rowan, I didn’t know how. I couldn’t even defend myself against a sixteen-year-old kid.
As much as I didn’t like Chancellor Morgen, I said a silent prayer to whomever was out there that she could help me.
We marched into a part of the castle I’d never been to before. A thick stone wall, with moss and ivy growing out of its cracks, dripped from the recent rain to my left, with a steep muddy incline leading to a defensive wall on my right. Two black-clad enforcers guarded a doorless entryway in the stone.
Cayden stood just off to their right, scowling at everything. When he saw me, his scowl deepened. “Quinn, those better not be bruises.”
His feet slid wider, and his hands dropped to his waist as his attention focused on Rowan.
Rowan’s nostrils flared, and he gripped his massive sword.
I sighed. “Dirt. Just lots of mud stains even Rowan’s Majekah couldn’t get out.”
Cayden’s fingers twitched. Neither man looked at me.
Not again.
I stepped between the two mages before they could kick off. Rowan’s barrel chest and square shoulders almost enveloped Cayden’s thinner, corded frame. They stood almost eye to eye, Rowan taller by a few inches. The rune mage had the kind of sculpted beauty that belonged on a fallen god, all sharp edges and temptation, while the elemental’s dark features and square jaw radiated power and danger. The air between them crackled, and I was the only thing keeping them from burning.
I suddenly forgot why I stood between them. This was nice. Maybe we could stay like this forever.
“Did he hurt you?” Cayden’s whisper tickled against my ear.
“I would never hurt her,” Rowan growled, tightening his grip on his sword hilt.
Or we could just not stay like this. “Right, I remember why I stepped in here now.”
Both men blinked in confusion. I waved off my comment before lacing my fingers with Cayden, then Rowan, to keep both of them from their chosen weapons. “No one hurt me. It’s mud, all of it.” I squeezed their hands. “You’re both my friends. Just my friends. So please, try to tolerate each other.” I leaned on the words. “I promise once I’ve lived through this meeting, I’ll draw up a custody schedule.”
For a moment, the two didn’t budge.
Rowan let out a frustrated growl, released my hand, and stepped back. “Don’t be afraid of Chancellor Morgen. She’s one of us.”
Cayden followed suit. “That means nothing.”
I found myself with no hands to hold.
