Desirée spun toward the guards. “Rory! Are you from Carrowmore, too?”
“Yes, Lady Desirée,” Rory called back. “I was a guard for the Kennedy family.”
“Do you have Fire magic like Evelyn?” Desirée left her sister’s side to approach him.
Rory did the same, abandoning a visibly annoyed Simon. “No, I have Water magic.”
“Can you show me?” Desirée’s smile was audible in her voice.
The professional facade slipped from Rory’s face. He raised a hand and a stream of water coiled around Desirée like a snake. The water stilled and stayed in place without actually touching her. She ran her fingers through the twists of water, playing with the gravity-defying surface tension. Rory released the magic, causing the water to splash at her feet. Desirée jumped in surprise before falling into a fit of laughter. Rory couldn’t smile any wider if he tried.
“I know they just met,” Evelyn whispered to Daphne, “but I think he would give her the whole ocean if she wanted it.”
Daphne pursed her lips. “That’s a dangerous game to play with Damien nearby.”
Evelyn glanced at Damien, who was indeed watching the pair carefully. “What will he do?”
“That depends on Rory. He’s your guard. Do you trust him?”
“Of course.”
“Then as long as he doesn’t do anything stupid, he’ll be fine.”
Rory gathered more water and split it into several fist-sized portions, which transformed into fish and swam through the air around Desirée.
Daphne tsked. “That girl will fall for anything. She acts like she hasn’t grown up around illusions. This is just Vision magic that will get her dress wet!”
“You aren’t even a little bit impressed?” Evelyn asked.
“I like your Fire magic better. What can you even do with Water?”
“Wash away debris, or bring something toward you in a wave. Weaken porous materials so you can break through them. Create a distraction while you escape. Drown or desiccate your enemies, depending on which way the water is flowing.”
Daphne was appalled. “What are they teaching princesses in your kingdom?”
Evelyn shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. But Carrowmore armies rely on magic more than yours do. Damien could beat any of our soldiers with a sword, but only if he can get out of a flooding pit or past a fiery tornado.”
“Maybe don’t mention to Damien how many different ways Rory could kill Desirée with Water magic.”
“Maybe he should know how many ways Rory canprotecther with Water.”
Rory’s water-fish changed into small birds that fluttered overhead. Desirée gazed up at them, but Rory’s eyes stayed on her.
“Can you hear Auditory illusions?” Daphne asked.
“No, I can’t sense any illusions. Why?”
“Desirée is making the birds sing.”
“Oh! I wish I could hear it. They look happy, don’t they?”
Daphne put a hand on her hip. “I don’t think I’ve ever watched people fall in love before. It’s weird, right?”
“It’s sweet,” Evelyn mused. “I doubt they even remember we’re here.”
Rory continued to dazzle Desirée. He briefly surrounded them with a wall of swirling water but must’ve felt Damien’sglare burn through it. The spectacle changed into ascending rain droplets, allowing clear sightlines around them.
Leo, Damien, and Nicolas approached Evelyn and Daphne. They snagged Simon on the way, pulling him into the group.
