"Did you?" Drake's piercing gray eyes locked on hers.
"Yes," Ianthe lied boldly. "We had a telepathic bond. I knew what he offered."
That steady gaze never looked away. She fought a blush.
"He is a changed man," Drake said. "You are changed too."
"Change is not always for the worst."
"No." He smiled faintly, but it looked like an effort. Someone scratched at the door. "Ah. There's someone else who wants to see you. Two someone's, in fact."
The door opened and Thea stepped inside, her face pale and her hand curled around—
"Louisa," Ianthe whispered, pushing herself upright and opening her arms.
"Mama!" Her daughter's composure broke, and the little girl darted for the bed, wrapping herself around Ianthe as if she'd never let her go. There was an odd sense of rightness about the motion, as if Louisa's presence had somehow made her whole and she had not realized that a piece of her was missing until now. Ianthe drew back, frowning.
"Someone Expressed herself for the first time," Drake said, his smile set in stone and his hand gentle on Louisa's head, so as not to frighten her. "She sensed your need somehow and reached out to help her father bring you back. She is part of your bond, just not as tightly laced as the two of you are."
That spoke of precognition, perhaps. How else would Louisa have sensed what she'd needed to do? Ianthe's heart grew heavy. Her daughter was far too young for the weight of sorcery, but she forced a smile and kissed Louisa's cheek. "We shall have to begin teaching you how to control yourself then."
"May I?" Drake offered. "I have no apprentice, and someone else needs your full attention."
Ianthe's gaze lifted to Thea. The girl's eyes were full of heartbreak. Ianthe held out her hand and dragged Thea onto the bed with them. Her arms curled around both girls. "None of this is your fault," she whispered, kissing Thea's hair. "It would have happened regardless of what you did. I tried to wrestle with a demon on a psychic plane that it had created." She tried for brevity. "So lesson learned: Stay as far away from demons as possible, Thea, and don't ever think yourself a match for one when you're playing by their rules. They pack one hell of a wallop."
No such luck in diverting her apprentice. "Lucien said you weren't breathing."
"A great deal happened at once, I believe. He probably overstated the gravity of the situation." Ianthe met Drake's dark gaze over the top of Thea's head, and he nodded, just faintly. Louisa's hand curled tightly in hers. There was no fooling her daughter. Not if she'd sensed it.
"Lou, would you like to learn sorcery with Drake?" Ianthe asked, setting both girls beside her, their backs to her pillows.
"Do I have to live with him?" Louisa asked, suddenly fearful.
"No. No, not yet. You're to live with me." And Lucien. But she suddenly wasn't certain of that answer. She could sense him somewhere within the house, but when she reached out—
Ianthe winced. Her head was pounding. The entire world seemed washed in too much light, too much sensation. Was this how Lucien had felt?
"There is plenty of time," Drake said, reaching behind Louisa's ear and producing a penny, of all things.
"That's sleight of hand." Ianthe rolled her eyes. "Not sorcery."
Louisa giggled as Drake vanished the penny then held both hands up, as if to dispute her.
"And it gives me leave to visit every week," he said. "To see how my granddaughter is doing. We can have her lessons then."
No doubt he intended to keep a close eye on all of them.
Ianthe sighed. "Two young ladies threatening to set my house on fire. Whatever am I to do?"
The jesting continued, but Thea held herself somewhat absent. Ianthe reached out to squeeze the young lady's hand, to try and chase away the shadows in her apprentice's eyes, as Drake tried to show Louisa his penny trick.
"I will never use Expression again." Thea's promise was raw.
It ached that this lesson had been so brutal.
"I am glad to hear it." Ianthe paused. "We shall take it slowly. I'm certain Louisa will need someone to help her adjust to all of this. It has been a trying experience for all, but mostly her. She will need you."
"You want me to stay?"
