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I slid into my shift and had just finished lacing up my dress when Alaric’s sleepy grumble made me freeze.

“Going somewhere?” His voice was deep and deliciously husky. It took all my restraint not to climb back into bed with him.

“Maybe,” I said carefully.

He sat up, his brows creasing. “Cerise…”

“I won’t lose you, Alaric. I’m going to Chief Gorem’s home to see if I can find some proof.”

His eyes widened. “Cerise, no. There are dozens of guards on his property. And if you’re caught, it will only make things worse.”

“I can cast a summoning spell. All we need is to find one letter from Elvira to prove he was her correspondent.”

Alaric’s face was taut with panic. “Cerise, I’m serious. You can’t. It’s too dangerous.”

“More dangerous than turning over the kingdom to someone who was experimenting on Rogues?” I challenged.

He sighed and ran a hand down his face. “You don’t even know where he lives.”

“You could just tell me.” I shrugged. “But either way, I’m going. And if you try to stop me, I swear I’ll let Sasha out and she’ll tear through this castle without a second thought.”

“I would,” Sasha agreed.

Alaric let out a long, drawn-out groan. “Fine. But I’m going with you.” He rose from the bed, and I caught sight of the wolf tattoo on his back before he tugged on a tunic and a pair of trousers.

“Do all Mages have that tattoo?” I gestured to his back.

“Most do, yes. It’s a rite of passage for us. When our wolf awakens and we shift for the first time, we get a ceremonial tattoo on our backs to commemorate it. It symbolizes the accepted bond between human and wolf.”

“Should I get one?” I asked nervously.

His gaze softened. “Only if you want to.”

I smiled. “I want to.” My fingers skated over the stars and moon inked on my wrist—the mark of a witch. “It’s only appropriate that both sides of me are represented in some way. This mark has been with me since birth.”

Alaric’s hand grasped my arm as he traced his own finger over the tattoo. “I love this mark on you,” he murmured before raising my hand and brushing his lips over the tattoo. “It’s perfect.”

My cheeks heated as I bit back another smile.

He looked me over for another moment, then turned to the armoire and withdrew a long silk bathrobe.

I frowned. “What’s that for?”

“For you.”

I gave him an incredulous look. “I’m already dressed.”

“This is for after. The fastest way to Gorem’s estate is through the forest. You’ll want to use Sasha for that part. And… well, I’m assuming she’s not quite strong enough to knit you a pair of clothes with her magic, and you aren’t comfortable striding around the Isle naked like the rest of us, so…” He shrugged one shoulder, looking adorably bashful.

Warmth blossomed in my chest, and I grinned at him. “That’s incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.” I brought both my hands to his face and leaned up to kiss him. It was meant to be a swift peck, but his mouth opened and captured mine in one long, sensuous kiss. My insides shuddered from the heat of it.

His smile widened as we strode for the door. Before I left the room, my gaze snagged on something on the bedside table. I paused with a frown, drawing closer. It was a golden amulet with a raven emblem on it.

“Chief Korvus gave that to me,” Alaric said. “It’s a symbol of the Rabe Mages—there’s a totem for all four tribes. Can you sense anything from it?”

I stretched out my hand and ran my fingers along the cool metal. Nothing happened. Based on Elvira’s journals, the Wolven totem had held some kind of magic. But with this one, there was no whisper of energy, no spark of power.

“There’s no magic in this,” I said to him.