“Mr.Ravenwing!”
Sage was not surprised to learn that Roger did not stand on ceremony and allow his valet to provide a proper introduction.He stood from the chair behind his desk and held a hand out to another on the opposite side.
“Please, have a seat.Notley, if you would be so kind as to shut the door.”
Cautiously, Sage stepped farther into the room as the door closed behind him.The perimeter was lined entirely with shelves covered in books, though it appeared some also held a variety of jars and small canisters.A sleeping hearth took up a large part of one wall; before it sat an elegant, yet comfortable, chaise lounge and a small table.The desk was the focus of the space.It was enormous and completely covered with books, magical ingredients, and more papers than he could even begin to count.A trio of candles burned on one corner.
Sage finally brought his attention back to the man standing behind the desk.Roger appeared at ease in this space that had clearly been built just for him.His hands were clasped in front of him, and he wore a friendly smile that almost hid the pinched lines of worry between his brows.He sat again only after Sage had settled in his own chair.
“I trust that your journey was an uneventful one?”Roger glanced over his shoulder out the one window behind him that was propped open and not covered by thick drapes.“The weather has been fair for travel.”
“Only if you enjoy being trapped in a sweltering carriage and perspiring through multiple layers of clothing for several days,” Sage returned cheekily.
Roger’s bright grin faded a little.“Oh dear.The heat can be as unpredictable as the rain this time of year, I’m afraid.I’ll see to it that a bath is drawn for you at once, and that you are provided with a chilled pitcher of water to drink.I hope you’ll be most comfortable now that you are here.”
Sage fought the urge to roll his eyes.Of course Roger would run a most welcoming household with cool drinks and nice smells and beautiful flowers.
“Why am I here?”he asked, fishing the letter out of his pocket once again and tossing it onto Roger’s desk.He did not want to keep it, so returning it to the sender served him just as well.
Roger picked up the letter and stared at it for a moment before he set it aside on a stack of papers to his right.He seemed to consider the question as though he’d been wondering the same thing.Roger placed both of his hands flat against the top of his desk and appeared pensive before he met Sage’s stare across the desk.
“I realize that you have reasons to dislike me,” he began carefully.Sage huffed out a laugh, but remained quiet otherwise, too interested to hear what he was going to say to interrupt.“I think you know that I could easily say the same.But part of my reason for inviting you was to see if we might be able to…to settle our differences somehow.”
“I do not see how that is possible.”The answer was simple.
Roger winced, but went on.“I can imagine that you are still hurting from?—”
“Do not pretend to know that you understand how I feel,” Sage snapped.
This conversation was about to be over before it truly began.Sage gripped the arms of his chair and moved to stand.He was not going to sit and be lectured on his own broken heart by the man who helped make it happen.
“I would never,” Roger said in a rush, his hands coming up defensively.
Sage paused.
“Please,” Roger went on, “just let me say what it is that you’ve come all this way to hear.”
With a steadying breath, Sage leaned back and remained in his seat.
“Thank you,” Roger said on a breath of his own; an exhale of relief.He pushed his spectacles up his nose and then laced his fingers in front of him on the desk.“I know that Wyn said the only way things could be resolved between the two of you is if you offer me an apology.”
“No, what he said was that you mustacceptmy apology,” Sage corrected tersely.“Then he would be willing to consider our issues settled.”
To his surprise, this made Roger laugh.
“Yes, that does sound more like him, doesn’t it?”
Sage did not join in his amusement.Roger quickly sobered and continued.
“I will never be able to understand how you feel.But I want you to know that I do understand why you said the things you did.I consider myself most fortunate to be close to Wyn, and if I thought I was going to lose him, I would be trying everything I could think of to prevent it, too.”
Sage curled his lip.“How lucky you were to be favored in that endeavor.”
Roger pressed his lips together in a rueful grin.There was no use in either of them denying it.Sage found it almost respectable that he did not try.
“You said there was another reason my presence was required?I hope it’s a rather good one, for your sake.If I came all this way for you to offer condolences on my loss after so many months?—”
“Yes!”
