“I own it.” She met his eyes. “And I thought it could become our university.”
Caleb’s eyes flashed with pain. The university had been his brainchild, not Emily’s. He’d been the one to dream of a day when the various masteries were studied together, once students had completed their regular schooling. They’d talked it over, planned how to raise money and recruit teachers, but without a nexus point…
They had a nexus point, now. But they also had other obligations.
“Perhaps I can convince Mother to let us work there,” he said. “There’s no reason to think she’s going to die, is there?”
Emily shook her head. Sienna was a formidable sorceress. She was powerful enough to cope with almost anything, short of a necromancer or a handful of other sorcerers. And she knew how to extend her life. The chances were good, very good, that Sienna would remain alive for decades to come. There was no reason to think she’d be dead within the next ten years.
“No,” she said. “But it will complicate matters.”
“In more ways than one,” Caleb said. “We always knew it was going to be tricky.”
Emily felt a sudden urge to giggle. Tricky. Yes, they’d known it was going to be very tricky. She’d been a baroness – a baroness with real power – while he’d been the second son of a military hero and a powerful sorcerer. He would have made a decent consort for her, just as Jade had made a decent consort for Alassa, because he couldn’t threaten her power. But he was now – potentially, at least – a major player in the magical community. Their marriage would have all sorts of political implications…
And I can’t even get away from them, she thought, sourly. King Randor might have exiled her, but he hadn’t stripped her of her title. It would have been politically impossible. Maybe we should just change our names and run.
It was a silly thought. She had no family to leave behind, but Caleb did. He wouldn’t want to abandon them. His parents might be a little overbearing, and his siblings annoying, but he loved his family. And she wouldn’t ask him to give them up for anything, even for her.
“We’ll get through it somehow,” she promised. “I just don’t know how.”
She glanced at her watch, then sat up and peered out the window. The sun was steadily setting. Frieda might turn a blind eye if they were late, but Sienna would not be quite as forgiving. She hurried into the shower, cursing under her breath as she realized it was even worse than she’d thought. The water was cold. She washed anyway, then dried her body with a spell. There was no time to share a shower, not now.
Back at Whitehall, she told herself, firmly. We can shower together there.
“Make sure your glamour is in place,” Caleb reminded her, as they dressed. “We don’t want to be seen leaving this place.”
Emily nodded, casting the spell. She wasn’t used to being recognized. Normally, no one connected her with the Necromancer’s Bane. Everyone knew the Necromancer’s Bane was a towering woman of stunning beauty and terrible power. But Emily was an uncommon name, even after she’d made it famous. Anyone who heard Emily would think of the Necromancer’s Bane.
Caleb dressed, then cast his own glamour. Emily stared at it for a long moment. She knew the spell was in place, but it was still hard to see his real features under the illusion. No one would notice unless they had a reason to look very closely. Her own glamour would attract even less attention. She wouldn’t be the first young woman to hide some imperfection behind a spell.
“Very masculine,” she said, dryly. “I think you’ve overdone the muscles.”
“It should make it harder for people to get in the way,” Caleb said, flexing illusionary muscles. “And even if someone does realize that they’re illusions, they might not look any further.”
He held out a hand. “Shall we go?”
Emily took one final look around the room, making sure they hadn’t left anything behind, then followed him down the cramped staircase. The owner hadn’t asked any questions, much to her relief. He’d just told them the rates, and pointed to the stairs. The lobby was deserted as they walked through; they left the key on the desk. Outside, the temple singers chanted loudly, calling the faithful to prayer…
And yet, she could feel the tension in the air. Something was going to blow. And soon.
“We’d better hurry,” she said, as more and more people spilled onto the streets. “Frieda will be waiting for us.”
Chapter Twelve
“YOU HAVE MAIL,” SIENNA SAID TARTLY, as Emily followed Caleb into the living room. “And two people who came to find you, both of whom left visiting cards.”
“The secret’s out,” Caleb teased. “They know who you are.”
Emily winced. So much for remaining un recognized.
Sienna snorted. “I ordered a third man to leave after he wanted to stay here and wait for you,” she said, passing Emily a small collection of envelopes. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer until after I turned him into a frog and kicked him out the front door. He’ll turn back. Eventually.”
Emily swallowed as she checked the letters for unpleasant surprises, then glanced at the visiting cards. They were from two men, both completely unknown to her. They’d both invited her to dinner, offering to let her choose the time and place. She passed them to Frieda and then opened the first envelope. Three pages of greetings and salutations – and a great deal of flattery – boiled down to a third dinner invitation. She rolled her eyes at the way the writer sang her praises to the skies, then opened the next envelope. This writer, at least, was more concise. He talked about an investment opportunity she might be interested in, if she cared to visit his office. The name at the bottom belonged to yet another stranger.