CHAPTER32
CONRAD
Conrad madequick work of getting them both cleaned up with one of the hand towels by the wash basin.He wanted to spend some time thinking about everything Sage had said before, and then some time thinking about what it meant in terms of how their magic had interacted, and then some more time after that thinking about how glorious it had been to watch Sage take pleasure for himself for once.But for the moment, he put all of his focus on taking care of the man beside him.The rest could wait.
After they were both cleaned and the cloth had been discarded, Conrad returned to his side of the bed and pulled Sage close.Sage nestled against him as easily as ever, tangling their legs together, pressing his lips to Conrad’s neck, and draping his arm over Conrad’s chest.Conrad slid an arm around the other man’s shoulders and kissed his hair.
They were silent for a few moments.
Then Conrad rubbed Sage’s shoulder a little and said, “I wonder if this will change how our magic works together—now that I understand it better.”
Sage shifted a little.“What do you mean?”
“I mean, now that it would be intentional, and now that I have a better idea of what to look for.”
“I’m not sure,” Sage said at last.“I have rather limited experience with this sort of thing.”
Conrad chuckled.“To be sure.Perhaps we could ask about it the next time we cast.”
“Perhaps.”Sage sounded dubious.
“Or we can keep it to ourselves,” he amended.
Sage sighed.“Wyndham already knows.He’s known since you described the wind at the lake.And if he does, then Roger probably does, too.”
“Oh.”Conrad considered this for a moment.“Does it bother you, having Wyndham know?”
“It bothered me when I was still coming to terms with it, I think.But in regards to how I used to feel about him…no, it doesn’t.”
Conrad let out a relieved breath.“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Are you always this chatty after a shag?”There was a smile in his voice as he asked.
Conrad grinned.“Sorry.Am I ruining the mood?”
Sage let out a sharp laugh.“No.I like it.But I’m not accustomed to it.”As if to prove the point, he nestled a little closer.“It sounds as though you expect us to do more magic together tomorrow.”
“If not tomorrow, then another day before we leave.”Sage hummed against him in response.“And of course,” Conrad continued, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they asked us to continue the experiment when we return to London.”
“I’d like that,” Sage said quietly.
Conrad felt relief and joy fill his chest at Sage’s words.A silent answer to an unspoken question between them: they would continue to see each other in London.He curled a finger under Sage’s chin and tilted his face so he could kiss him.“Me too.”
Sage’s answering smile was soft.
They continued to talk idly about what they could expect from the rest of their stay in the country: what other riddles Harriet might have up her sleeve, what other spells Roger might want to see them try together, what other activities their hosts might come up with.As their words grew softer, a little more slurred with drowsiness, and punctuated with yawns, they gave in to the inevitable and fell asleep, holding each other with more intention than they had in their previous nights together.
* * *
The following morning,Conrad woke with Sage practically on top of him, and he smiled at how their friendship had grown and evolved in a matter of weeks.There was a feeling of contentment that he had never expected with another person.He liked the way they fit together, the way they never ran out of things to talk about, and how they kept finding new ways to take care of each other.
But underneath the contentment was a niggling worry that Conrad did not anticipate.He had formed a vague sort of plan about what he would do when he got to London, but he couldn’t figure out how Sage might fit into it.He knew how to take care of himself, but he also knew that working at the docks would not provide him enough to take care of another person.He knew little about what the Council might pay if he got the position, but he also knew that everyone on the Council, other than Silas, had sufficient money from inherited wealth.Silas was the closest to him in terms of finances and class, but even his family owned a modest amount of land and a thriving business.Conrad had no idea if he would ever earn enough to support Sage.And Sage, with his gorgeous clothes, high quality oils, and a lifetime of having servants and grand houses, would need more support than he could ever hope to obtain.
Did Sage expect anything from him, in terms of their previous night’s conversation?He remembered the talk about magical compatibility and wedding spells.Was magical compatibility a precursor to matrimony?He certainly didn’t mind it if it was.He could think of nothing better than to have a friend like Sage at his side for the rest of his life.He remembered how Sage had called himConright before he came.He felt sure they could build a life on that—the trust, the tenderness, the friendship, and the affection between them, as new as it all was.
But what happened when a pair was compatible magically but not…financially?It was yet another distinction between himself and his new friends.He was sure none of them had ever had to worry about such things, so he couldn’t very well ask for advice on the matter.
Sage stirred beside him and he set aside his concerns for a later date.If nothing else, he could take advantage of the time they had together.The future would come whether he worried about it or not; he might as well enjoy the time he had left.
