You are relieved of your duties.
If you ever call magic to fight me, you will not be able to walk it back.
I tip back the flask and drain it.
Malin laughs ruefully. “Are yousureyou don’t drink very much?”
I really don’t. My thoughts are already beginning to drift and loosen. “I’m definitely going to regret this tomorrow.”
“Me too.” He grins and takes another sip, then winces, pressing a hand to his bruised side. “I think Verin broke a rib. She said she can’t wait to do it again, though—so I think she likes me.”
I look up. “Want me to fix it?”
The smile slips off his face. “You’re not allowed to use magic.”
I put the cap back on the flask and toss it onto the table. “I’ve been relieved of my duties and confined to the palace grounds. What else is he going to take?” I lean forward, bracing my forearms on my knees. The world already feels a little fuzzy. “But you need to decide now, before I get too drunk. I could leave the bruises on your face, so no one would know.”
He stares back at me steadily, and I know he doesn’t want to disobey the king. But it’s possible he’s already in a place where he’s not making the best decisions either. We’re both a little angry, a little dejected, a little defiant.
“Silver hell,” he mutters. He drains his whole bottle and swears, but then he looks back at me and holds out his stitched-up arm. “You go, I go, Tycho.”
“Magic?” I say, just to be sure.
Malin gives a short nod. “Magic.”
CHAPTER 31
CALLYN
I expect to sit down to breakfast with Alek again, but when I arrive, he tells me that he’s called for a carriage, and if I want to talk, I need to accompany him for the morning.
At that, I balk. “The queen asked me to select fabrics today,” I say, the excuse I gave little Sinna and my sister—and the same thing they’ll hopefully tell anyone else who asks.
“You can certainly select them with one of my master loom workers. Unfortunately, my duties require me to be elsewhere this morning.” He pauses very deliberately. “If you’d like to discuss anythingotherthan fabrics, you should come along.”
“I’m supposed to be with the princess,” I tell him. We’re standing on his opulent steps, the morning sun shining down. “I can’t be gone half the day.”
He shrugs. “Suit yourself.” A massive violet carriage pulled by two shining horses pulls up beside the smaller one that I arrived in. Alek looks toward the top of the steps, where two servants stand by the doors.“Navery, show Lady Callyn to the looms. Have Mistress Meah Sene display the—”
I grab his arm. “Alek.”
His eyebrows go up, and I flush. I take a step back and keep my hands to myself.
“My lord,” I bite out. “Youknowthat’s not why I came.”
“I do.” He leans close. “And it would be in your best interest to come with me. I’ll send word to the palace.”
I stare into his blue eyes. I have no idea how he manages to be so challenging every time I see him.
“Fine,” I say.
When we’re seated in the carriage, I smooth my hands over the skirts of my robe. He takes the seat opposite me, and the driver cracks a whip.
Alek leans back into the velvet cushions of his seat, which are a deeper purple than the exterior of the carriage. Sheer lavender fabric covers the window, allowing light and air to swirl inside, though we’ll be obstructed from view by anyone on the road. I’ll never get used to this level of luxury, but Alek looks so natural that I almost can’t imagine him anywhere else.
“Why is this in my best interest?” I say to him.
“Because I rather like this jacket and I didn’t want you to throw any food at me.”
