Sage’s mouth had gone dry.“Powerful,” he managed.
“Clearly!”Conrad was still admiring his work on the garment, holding it close to his face.“And that was in one go!I’m almost sorry I already cleaned the rest of your clothes last night, Sage.I wish to do all of them this way.”
Wyndham chuckled.“There is plenty of time for the two of you to find more ways to befoul your clothes.”
Sage considered challenging the notion of them seeking out more opportunities to potentially ruin his wardrobe, but he found he did not have the strength nor the heart to deny Conrad of something that thrilled him so.Instead, he accepted his jacket when it was handed to him and watched as the spell was performed on his muddy trousers to an equal effect.
Afterwards, Roger spent some time asking Conrad questions and taking detailed notes, each of them kindling the other’s interest in the topic until they began repeating themselves with even bigger smiles.Wyndham had picked up a book off the side table and was reading with a satisfied grin.Sage felt terribly out of place, but he did not want to interrupt to tell them he was leaving.He held his clean clothes against his chest with one arm and wandered the study as he waited, inspecting the shelves and tamping his magic when it swirled each time Conrad laughed behind him.
When it finally sounded like their conversation was coming to an end, Wyndham snapped his book shut and set it aside, standing up off the chaise with that same smug grin.
“Roger,” he began thoughtfully, gaining his husband’s attention.“I do believe we should continue this experimentation tomorrow.As you said before, it is rare that we’ve had the opportunity to work with new subjects on this raw materials project thus far.If Conrad and Sage are open to it, I would like to see them cast together.”
Roger was giddy at the idea.
Conrad and Sage exchanged a look.He had never seen a pair of soft brown eyes filled with such hope before.This was everything he wanted.It was what Sage had agreed to offer in their arrangement—to show the rest of the Council that Conrad could work closely with fae, and that he was more than capable of handling whatever they asked of him, despite his modest upbringing.
How could he refuse?
Sage relented with a nod, and Conrad closed the distance between them in a single leap, placing his hand on the back of Sage’s neck so that he could pull him down for a chaste kiss on the cheek.Roger and Conrad exited the study together, leaving Sage and Wyndham alone.
He knew exactly what he was doing by asking Sage to use his magic with Conrad’s again.It was obvious now that he had known from the moment Conrad explained what happened at the lake.His reaction to Conrad’s cleaning spell only confirmed it.Was this retribution for what Sage had done to Roger?Another chance for Wyndham to prove how cold he could be?
Wyndham studied him for a moment and then smoothed a hand down the front of his waistcoat, before he gestured out the open door in the direction Roger and Conrad had gone.His explanation was simple, yet heavy.
“Now do you understand?”
