He shrugged. “Nope.”
My jaw dropped.
What the hell.This hadn’t even been for anyone else. It had beenfor him.
“Not even a little?”
“Nope.”
“Even magically enhanced charms don’t work on you?!”
He smirked. “Guess not. Maybe I’m just built differently.”
“Well, it’s just a minor love-draught!” I blurted. “Veryminor!”
His gaze swept the rooftop—the crowd, the pink eyes, the glitter haze—and then landed on me. “Doesn’t look minor.”
“Savla, please—help!”
“Were you brewing that… forme?” he asked instead.
“O-of course not,” I gasped, absolutely lying.
The guard swung open the door and tried to step in front of him. “Sir, you’re standing between me and the light of my existence.”
Savla didn’t even blink. “Move.”
“Love knows no barriers—”
His hand shot out, grabbed the guard by the collar, dragged him and deposited him in the door leading down the stairs like an empty sack of grain. “Out.”
The others hesitated from behind him.
I threw up my hands. “Don’t hurt them! They’reenchanted!”
“I’m aware.” His tone was pure gravel. He pointed at the courier who’d been slinking his way toward me. “You too.”
“But I could carry her! Keep her safe—”
“Try it,” Savla said, voice low.
The courier blinked, then lumbered backward so fast he hit the doorframe.
One by one, Savla herded them out—some by glare, some by grip—until only glitter and the smell of roses lingered.The silence that followed buzzed in my ears.
I exhaled shakily. “I can’t believe that worked.”
He turned, bolting the door. “You’re banned from unsupervised brewing.”
“You can’tban me,” I gasped, turning on him.
“Watch me,” he gritted out.
I crossed my arms. “I said I was sorry,” I huffed, knowing that I was being petulant, especially after he’d done so much to help me out of the situationI’dgotten us into, but I was still slightly peeved that it hadn’t affectedhimat all.
“You keep saying that,” he said, stepping closer, voice softer but sharper somehow. “Then you do something worse.”
“I’m nottryingto!”
