The thought filled me with longing, and I clutched the book tighter. Someday, I promised myself. Someday soon.
Hopefully Strayhaven would be warmer than Vilusia. I was glad I had been able to transport my winter clothes to the tower, now I was wearing my thickest skirts, and my woolen blouse under a shawl.
And Kael had left the tower, saying he was going for awalk.
How could he bear to go outside on such a night? It made no sense. Whenever our fingers had brushed or I had bumped his shoulder with mine, I had felt like his body ran much warmer than mine did, but did he truly not feel the cold like I did?
I shook my head. I had seen his eyes, and his claws…did that mean he was impervious to the cold, too?
What was he?
A gust of wind rattled the windows, making me jump. The book slid off my lap, and I picked it up with a sigh, blowing on my fingers before holding them out to the fire, hoping to drive some warmth back into them.
The firelight flickered, the shadows stretching across the room like grasping fingers. I exhaled sharply and shook my head. I was letting my imagination run away with me.
The flames danced cheerfully in the hearth, but the chill lingered. On impulse, I wondered if one of my newly learned spells—a potency spell—could help. Could magic make the fire burn hotter? It was worth a shot.
I bit my lip and leaned forward, extending a hand toward the flames. Whispering the incantation under my breath, I focused on the fire’s warmth, willing it to grow. At first, nothing happened. But then, almost imperceptibly, the flames flickered and leapt higher, the hearth glowing with newfound heat.
A delighted laugh bubbled out of me, and I clapped my hands together, forgetting for a moment the oppressive cold and the weight of unanswered questions. Magic wasn’t just useful—it was thrilling.
I hugged myself and did a little dance in my chair, giddy with success.
The sound of a throat clearing had my eyes flying open. I whirled around in my chair, looking for Kael, but the door remained closed. A low chuckle at my back had me spinning around.
I turned back to the fire—and gasped.
I gasped, my chair toppling as I scrambled away. Another low chuckle came from the face in the fire.
“Don’t be afraid,” the man said, his voice smooth as silk. “I won’t hurt you. I only wanted to check on my tower.”
I peeked over the top of the chair I’d hid behind.Mytower. If he claimed ownership of this tower… “You’re the mage who used to live here?”
“Yes. You can call me Rindais.” The man smiled, in an easy, charming way that had no doubt endeared himself to whoever he spoke with. “I had to leave when the war came to an end, and I didn’t realize I had left my notes behind.” Rindais raised an eyebrow. “Do you think you could help me?”
I said nothing for a long while, just looking back at the man in the fire. Rindais looked young to be a mage, with a smooth, unlined face, but I could see fine crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes. His white blonde hair fell about his face in long waves, but the most arresting feature of his face were his eyes, which were different colors, one brown and one green.
He must have been in his late thirties. And he seemed the type to be vain enough to place a glamor on himself to make himself look younger than he was. He was handsome, yes, but his eyes shone with power.
“Why can’t you just come back and get it yourself?”
It would be an immense help to me if he did, after all. I’d have someone around who could teach me more about my magic, who could help me hone my powers…
And of course, the mage could help Kael with whatever he was looking for, too…
Immediately, he frowned, shaking his head. “I can’t,” he said regretfully. “It’s not safe for me.”
“But aren’t you in Vilusia? Where are living you right now?” I asked, unable to stifle my curiosity.
His eyes went flat as soon as I asked, his smile dropping momentarily. I stepped back, chilled by his expression.
In the next moment, Rindais smiled again. “Oh, I’m busy on the King’s business. Too busy to come traipsing back to the tower just for a few notes.”
I noticed that he didn’t answer the question, but I nodded anyway.
Rindais looked at me shrewdly. “But why areyouliving in my tower? Aren’t you from the town nearby?”
I nodded, wondering how much I could tell him. If the King had trusted him, that meant he was part of the army. If I told him I was a mage, too, would he hand me over to the army? Would I end up shackled to them until the King had no more use for me?
