“Because I siphoned power from her, then stayed close to her while she slept to replenish what I took,” he said flatly. “Youdidn’t siphon power from our esteemed king, but you definitely took something from him.”
“I don’t know what that means,” she snapped.
“Apparently you didn’t take enough because you’re easily irritated today,” he bit back, extending a hand to her. When she slipped her fingers into his, he squeezed them as he leaned in and added, “And by that I mean?—”
“I know what you mean,” she interjected.
He smirked, Traveling them to his study. It didn’t go unnoticed that she didn’t immediately yank her hand away like she usually did. It was a slow pull back, almost like an afterthought as she peered around him to the bag in his other hand.
“What’s that?”
“Books I collected while I was replenishing my magic,” he answered, rounding his desk and taking a seat. Pulling out the books, he stacked them in a neat pile before taking the first one and opening it.
She’d wandered to her usual perch on the sofa across the room, all the books he’d pulled for her tidily arranged, but she didn’t pick one up. Instead, she tucked her feet under herself, and before she even opened her mouth, he sighed.
So much for a quiet day of researching.
“Are you able to fully refill your reserves from Wren?” she asked.
“My Source bond with Wren is not up for discussion,” he answered, pointedly keeping his eyes fixed on the book, hoping she’d take the hint.
“I’m not asking about your bond with her per se. Just the Source bond in general.”
“That depends on how powerful each participant is. Ideally, Source and dependent are equally matched.”
“But you’re more powerful than Wren.”
He nodded.
“So…you can’t fully refill your reserves? That’s why you still look so tired?”
By the Fates.
“Is that why Cethin always looks so exhausted?”
“Cethin doesn’t have a Source,” Razik replied.
“I know that, but— After the incident with thenagasky, he was to the point of passing out from exhaustion. He never sleeps, but his power never seems to lessen. And he used a lot of power that night. How would he refill his reserves so quickly?” she asked, as if suddenly realizing all of this.
He had a few ideas about how Cethin was keeping his reserves full, and if he was right, the king was being just plain stupid.
“That sounds like something you should ask him, not me,” Razik answered. “Do the two of you ever talk?”
She sent him a glare. “Yes, we speak. Quite a bit as of late, actually.”
“Then write this down to talk to him about later. Better yet, all these random things you ask me? Add those to that list too.”
Kailia scowled at him. “Why are you being such an ass today? More so than usual, I mean. Is it the whole needing a fuck thing again?”
“No,” he grumbled.
“Are you upset?”
“No.”
“Then…?”
Razik rubbed his brow. “Sometimes we just have days, Lia. Days where there’s nothing in particular wrong or shitty, you just…” He shrugged, not sure how else to explain this mood.
