He looked away, far over the river to the horizon.
“There is little difference between a façade and reality if it gives you the courage to do what you did.”
She took his right hand between her own.
“The enemy mage was able to use your past against you. Unlike you, I came to the battle without memories to haunt me. You were just recovering from the loss of a dear childhood friend. Grief, like fear, can be turned against you in the wrong hands.”
“Nevertheless, I should not have allowed my personal experiences to intrude at such a crucial moment.”
“Youdid not. It was forced upon you. They targeted you. They knew who to attack. They left me alone because they did not know me. They will not make the same mistake again. Next time, they will come after me first. You and I will have to be prepared for that.”
He started at her words, and his arm tightened around her shoulder protectively.
“Meanwhile, you cannot allow yourself to be consumed by guilt. Everyone played their part. I might have died, too, if you had not helped me. And at least your predicament helped us form our magical Bond. If the situation had been any less dire, we might have gone our separate ways and never known that we could be Janus twins. So, I for one cannot wish that moment undone.”
The haunted expression on his face began to disappear, to be replaced by determination.
“The important thing is to learn from it.” She had thought about this while she was away, and she was glad of an opportunity to say it. “None of us can afford to be arrogant. The French mages are more powerful and more flexible than us. We have to find new ways to counter them.”
He nodded and sat up straighter, his expression now full of resolution.
“Youare the key, Elizabeth. Uncle Matlock has said it, and he is right.”
“That is terrifying. It places a huge burden on my shoulders.”
She said it lightly, but he did not smile.
“I have lived with that burden for many years.”
“Then we can share it.”
His expression remained tight.
“I should warn you. Some members of the Council will still oppose you, perhaps more than before, because they will refuse to believe Lady Alice capable of such duplicity. They may still believe you to be a traitor.”
She sighed and snuggled closer. “I know. I have no illusions. She has a faction that follow her blindly, and they will be against me. I know what to expect. You have to remember it has never been easy for me.”
“Much of it was my fault. I was a perfect jackass when we first met.” He grimaced. “I hope I have improved since then.”
She lifted her head from his chest to grin at him. “Definitely.”
“Definitely what? That I was an ass, or that I improved?”
She tilted her head as if considering it.
“Hmm. Let me see. I would say a bit of both.”
“I was hoping you would say something more complimentary than that.”
“Just because I love you, it does not mean I am completely blind to your faults.”
“That is unfortunate, especially since I cannot think of a single fault in you.”
***
THE CARRIAGE CAME TOa halt. Darcy had ordered the coachman to stop when they reached the edge of the woods as a precautionary measure. They would soon be reaching the Wards that surrounded Founder’s Hall, and they needed to approach slowly, in case they had been moved, or altered in a way that excluded them.
Their interlude together had come to an end. Reluctant to let her go, he brushed his lips against her hair. The aroma of roses and lavender enveloped him.
