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He shook his head.

“How are you sure?”

“I’m not, but I think yesterday was more a way for him to send me a message. To put me in my place. Enthrallment requires effort for him, and he is busy in his role as Primemage.”

Her fingers trailed the still-darkened vein on his neck. Not quite as black as it had been last night but a dark gray standing out against his pale skin.

“What exactly happened to you? I would feel much better if I could cast a quick diagnostics.”

He snatched her wrist. “Nothing happens to me. I go out with a clear mission. Do you want me to tell you how many I’ve killed during the last few days? Do you want me to detail how many I’ve watched slowly die?”

She raised her head in defiance. “Yesterday something happened to you.”

He went rigid. Like a statue frozen to the ground. The mere mention of enthrallment, even if not by name, made him visibly uncomfortable.

“That wasn’t you killing them,” she continued. “It was him.”

“Is that what you tell yourself? That I am not really a killer? Just so we’re clear—yesterday was the first time in months he used enthrallment on me. But think whatever you must to make yourself feel better about the situation.” He straightened his jacket. “What were you doing in Corvin’s office?” His voice sounded dangerous. Like ice cracking slowly under your feet before you sink.

There was no denying it. “You know what I was doing.”

His eyes darkened as he bit his teeth together. “Listen to me carefully,” he said as he stepped even closer, towering over her. “I want you to stop. Do you understand me?”

There was a time when she would have been intimidated by his masklike face of fury, when those cold and vacant eyes would have scared her. Now, she looked up at them, meeting his stare.

“Would you ever stop protecting me?” she asked.

He was silent. She had rendered him speechless for once.

Grabbing the lapels of his jacket, she pulled him down and kissed him. And he let her.

For a moment he seemed torn, too angry to give in, but then he pulled her flush against him and responded to the kiss.

“Come back to me,” she said against his lips, now warm from her touch.

“Always.” He sealed his promise with another kiss before he vanished.

Mira sent a scroll to Rylan, asking him for help in her research on the amulet. An hour later, he knocked on the door.

“Thanks for coming,” she greeted him.

He balanced a stack of books in his hands. When he stepped inside, the Dawson estate rumbled with displeasure.

“Don’t worry,” she explained. “It’s just grumpy about newcomers.”

“It’s Dawson’s estate. I have a feeling it’s more than just grumpy.” He scanned the ceiling and doors. “Are we sure it’s not…deadly?”

She shrugged. “Pretty sure.”

“Pretty sure? That doesn’t fill me with confidence. Let’s just go back to Ivercrest.”

“The estate has everything we need.” More so—it meant they were far away from Obryn, who would not be pleased with her working on this.

They walked to the library. Rylan hugged the books in his arms tightly, keeping an eye on the walls, as if they might close in on him at any moment. When they stepped inside, his mouth hung slack at the sight of Dawson’s invaluable book collection.

“Spheres have mercy…” he mumbled, staring up at the tall shelves.

She sat down in the reading nook and motioned for him to take a seat next to her. “I wanted to run something by you.”