EMILY COULDN’T HELP MULLING OVER THE godly affair as Karan fetched the dessert, a syrupy sponge so sweet she had to drench it in custard before she could eat it. Croce insisted on chatting with his father about life in the military, making it clear he intended to seek an apprenticeship as soon as he completed his time at Stronghold. General Pollack attempted to convince Emily to talk about life in the sorcerer’s tent, but Emily had to admit she hadn’t seen that much of military life. She’d certainly never taken a full apprenticeship with a combat sorcerer.
“Karan, I would appreciate it if you were to take Frieda to her room and sit with her for a while,” Sienna said, once the dessert was finished. “Emily, would you please accompany me?”
Emily felt a cold weight settle in her chest as she rose, following Sienna through a pair of solid wooden doors. Someone had embedded spells within the wood, ranging from a simple protection and warding spell to a number of nastier tricks that would freeze, blind and – at worst – kill anyone who tried to enter without permission. The study behind the protections was simpler than she’d expected – a desk, a set of overflowing bookshelves and a pair of wooden chairs – but it clearly belonged to a skilled magician. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck prickling as the interior wards peered at her, assessing her power. If Sienna hadn’t been there, Emily doubted she could have made it out before the wards tore her to shreds.
“Take a seat,” Sienna said. Her voice was surprisingly calm. “We have a great deal to discuss.”
Emily sat on one of the wooden chairs, feeling like a mouse being eyed by a cat. Sienna was powerful – and skilled, which made her dangerous. Emily didn’t have any reason to believe that Sienna might want her dead, but she knew – all too well – that a grieving mother might not be in any state to think logically. Her eldest son had died because she’d convinced him to accompany her to Heart’s Eye.
And would Lady Barb be any kinder, Emily asked herself, if she’d had a son who died on your watch?
Emily forced herself to remain calm as Sienna took her seat. Sienna was a combat sorceress, no small achievement for a woman. No allowances would have been made for her when she started working towards her mastery; indeed, her tutor would probably have pushed her harder, just to make sure she could keep up with the men. Even now, after giving birth to five children, Sienna was formidable. Emily couldn’t help a pang of envy. Casper and Caleb – and their siblings – probably didn’t realize just how lucky they were.
“I’m afraid the decision to send Frieda as your chaperone is quite awkward,” Sienna said, curtly. It was, Emily realized, her version of small talk. “Her presence causes other complications.”
Emily nodded, shortly. Caleb was taken, but Croce was only a year or so younger than Frieda…not enough to avoid a scandal, if he were caught spending unsupervised time with her. Emily doubted Frieda would be interested – she’d turned down a dozen offers at Whitehall – but it would still be embarrassing. People would talk. And while she doubted it would be that irritating, in the long run, she could see Sienna’s point.
“I apologize on behalf of my advisor,” Emily said. She wasn’t sure if Lady Barb was still her advisor, given that she’d left Whitehall after the grandmaster’s death, but Emily had no intention of choosing another. “I’m sure she would have come herself, if the war hadn’t placed demands on her time.”
Sienna smiled. It didn’t touch her eyes.
“The war comes first,” she said. “Even with the necromancer dead, there will be other…considerations.”
“Yes,” Emily said.
“There are points we have to discuss,” Sienna said, shifting course. “And I expect you to listen.”
Emily tensed. This was the meat of the matter. “I will.”
Sienna’s face twisted. It took Emily a moment to realize that she was embarrassed.
“First, I am aware that you and Caleb have been sleeping together,” Sienna said. “I trust…”
Emily’s mouth dropped open. “He told you?”
Sienna snorted. “Can you imagine a young boy who’d want to discuss his love life with his parents?”
She pressed on before Emily could formulate a response. “Of course he didn’t tell me, but it’s obvious from the way you two react to each other.”
“Oh,” Emily said. She had to fight to resist the urge to cover her face. She knew she was blushing brightly. Caleb’s mother knew…What on Earth was she supposed to say? “I…”
Sienna held up a hand. “I trust that you have been using precautions,” she added. “What sort of protections?”
Emily groaned. “Do we have to…?”
“Yes, we do,” Sienna said. “What sort of protections have you been using?”
“Contraceptive potion,” Emily said. She forced herself to be clinical. “Both of us have been taking it.”
“Good,” Sienna said, stiffly. “I assume you know how to cast a protection charm?”
“Lady Barb talked me through it,” Emily said. God! She’d thought that conversation was embarrassing. Barrier charms were perfect, if they were cast properly. But they didn’t last long, so they had to be cast shortly before penetration. Did anyone have the mental discipline to cast such a charm under such circumstances? “But we normally rely on potions.”
Sienna nodded. “There are two important points I want to make to you,” she said. She pointed a long finger at Emily. “First, you are not to sleep together under my roof, not until you’re married. There’s a charm on your room that will alert me if Caleb enters without my permission. Or any other man, for that matter. I understand the urges you’ll have, as a healthy young woman, but I won’t allow you to slake them under my roof. Do you understand?”
Emily felt her cheeks grow even hotter. “I understand.”
“Caleb will hate me for this,” Sienna added. She looked at the bookshelves, her face oddly pensive. “But it’s for his own good.”