Page 41 of Raven in Midwinter

“I think wherever she came from, she was either a princess or was treated like one. She wants this place to function like a court, and she wants me downstairs, kissing her ass, like all the other men and women who live here. The fact that she has no dominion over me, added to the fact that neither she, nor Giles, can get rid of me, makes her crazy.”

“He could kill you, just as he could me.”

His scoff was loud. “He can’t kill either one of us. There’s a residual power in you through your ancestral ties to Corvus that he can’t sever.”

“Everything I ever read says he⁠—”

“No. It says he’s powerful, yes, and that he’s killed others, but not one has reported him ever hurting a member of his family.”

Funny that Lorne knew the archives, the journals, better than I did.

“So yeah, he can’t kill us. That’s not to say he can’t make life unbearable by keeping us apart, but thus far, that doesn’t seem to be working.”

“He can throw one of us through the rift.”

He shot me a look. “That’s dark. But again, no. That could be construed as a death sentence, and your power wouldn’t allow that.”

“You’re talking about my magic as though it’s separate from me.”

“And it is and isn’t. Because as you explained it to me before, there’s universal or passive magic, and then there’s the kind you practice, which is intentional or active. In this case, that active magic will not allow you to be harmed, and so it will work instinctively to shield you.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I am. It’s kept me safe here while I awaited rescue.”

“Some rescue.”

“Stop talking yourself down. You’re doing great.”

“As long as you’re with me, I’m counting it as a win.”

“Smooth talker.”

“Knock it off,” I groused. “Because he could do lots of things to hurt us.”

“We’re gonna get this figured out before he lashes out again.”

“He’ll be livid when he finds out I’m here.”

“I’m sure he knows.”

“How?”

His mischievous grin, coupled with the glint in his eyes, made my breath catch.“You made biscuits.”

“How did you know?”

“Because I ate, like, five.”

I laughed.

“What? They’re good. I prefer the sour cream, chive, and ricotta ones, but that’s because I’m spoiled. The fact of the matter is, when I walked by and smelled them, then took a bite, I was happily surprised to be eating my husband’s biscuits again.”

“Why is everything out of your mouth pervy today?”

“Because I’ve been away from you for nearly a month.”

The man annihilated me, and when I reached for him, he took my hand in both of his, turned it over, and kissed my palm.