I set my glass down, then stood and took his hand, calming at the comfort of both the physical and mental touch. “Lord Mzatal,” I murmured.

Vahl’s eyes flicked over me, no doubt noting everything from my collarless state, to my unreadability, to my comfort with Mzatal. Mzatal drew me to him and looked down at me with a very obvious gentling of his features and a smile that I knew was for Vahl’s benefit as much as mine. He was sending a clear message to Rhyzkahl via Vahl: Kara is here with me. He pulled me to stand in front of him with my back against his chest, then slid a hand down my left arm and lifted it, showing Vahl the long scar.

“Did he tell you he excised his mark with Xhan?” Mzatal asked, eyes on Vahl.

Vahl’s eyes dropped to my arm. I watched as his lips parted in reaction. Surely he knew what arcane agony the act had held. Vahl tore his gaze away and looked directly at Mzatal, an odd combination of repulsion, horror, and fascination on his face. “Why torture himself—and the girl—thus, severing a mark physically?” he asked, voice incredulous.

Oh, Rhyzkahl suffered? Poor fucking baby. I glanced back at Mzatal with an “it’s okay” look, then locked my gaze with Vahl’s. I tugged my blouse open at the top so that he could clearly see the intricate tracing of scars on my upper chest. “No, Lord Vahl, this is torture. These were carved with that same blade.”

He took another half-step back, clearly shocked. His eyes rested on the sigils, revulsion whispering across his face as if they spoke to him in crazed murmurs.

I closed my blouse, readjusted my clothing. “There was more,” I told him. “Much more.” A tremble went through me as I echoed Rhyzkahl’s words. Mzatal set a hand very gently on my shoulder, calming me, letting me know he was there for me.

“Vahl,” Mzatal said, “tell me what you know of this ritual.”

The other lord visibly suppressed a shudder, eyes remaining on me. “On the morning of the ritual, Jesral and Rhyzkahl cloistered themselves in a room near the summoning chamber for hours.” He shook his head. “I do not know with certainty, but I believe it was related. There were also ties to Amkir and Kadir.”

Mzatal leaned forward ever so slightly, increasing the contact with me. I kept my expression as controlled as possible, feeling him at my back in more ways than one and grateful for the support.

Vahl ran a hand over his head. “Something went horribly wrong with the ritual and—”

“No! It didn’t go wrong!” I cut him off, voice cracking. “It went exactly as intended. As Rhyzkahl intended.” I swallowed hard. “He bound me in potency, carved my flesh, and tortured me to charge the sigils and diagram. It was only when he sliced the mark from my arm that Mzatal was able to retrieve me.” Potency flared from Mzatal, backing my words.

Vahl didn’t argue, obviously disturbed. “When Kara was recalled, the patterns imploded.” His mouth drew into a flat line. “Everybody was aware that something had happened. The entire palace shook.” He lifted his gaze to Mzatal. “Rhyzkahl went down, but no one knew for sure at first because he had sealed the doors such that no one could open them. And none of the syraza would touch it.”

I had to smile. I was the one who’d sealed the damn chamber with the grove power. “He tried to follow me through the conduit,” I told Vahl, sneering. “I threw him back.”

He looked at me, eyes haunted. “He emerged later and went straight to his chambers for a full day and night and half of the next day.” He exhaled. “I know nothing more of it.”

Anger shuddered through me. I would have to bear these scars for the rest of my life, while Rhyzkahl simply had to take a long fucking nap.

Mzatal dropped his arm over my left shoulder and across my chest, pulling me close and supporting me on many levels. I lightly crossed my arms over his and leaned back against him, let my anger trickle away.

“When next you see Rhyzkahl,” Mzatal said, “tell him Kara Gillian is under agreement with me and has my full protection.” He paused. “Tell him also that I know what he has done to Xhan.”

Vahl grimaced, nodded. I didn’t have to read him to know that he wasn’t keen on making that report.

“And, Vahl,” Mzatal continued, but in a much less scary tone, “that report need not be in his presence. It was an arduous conclave. Perhaps a few days rest here.” The potency eased in Mzatal. “There is the potential for discussions of mutual interest.”

Relief coupled with uncertainty crossed Vahl’s face. “I will send him a sigil,” he finally replied. “And I am honored to accept your invitation.”

Well, the next few days will certainly be interesting, I thought to myself.

Mzatal and Vahl exchanged slight nods, then Vahl turned and left. I let out a breath and turned in Mzatal’s arms, sliding arms around him and leaning my head against his chest. “Thank you.”

Mzatal put his other arm around me and released the power he’d been holding. “There is no need for thanks,” he replied softly. “It is what had to be done.”

I tilted my head to look into his face. “No. I mean it. Thank you for being so here for me. I don’t think I could get through this without your help.”

A smile touched the corners of his mouth. “I will ever be here for you, Kara Gillian.”

The truth of his statement made me feel warm all over. I gave him a light squeeze. “I’m starving. Are you starving? I think we should eat food that’s terribly bad for us.”

One silky eyebrow lifted. “I promised you ice cream.”

I grinned. “So you did.”

He slipped an arm around my waist and led me inside. “Come then. The faas will prepare a feast of that which is bad for us.”

Chapter 32

The next week was a flurry of training with little time to do anything extra but eat and grab what sleep we could. However, I managed to get halfway through the first ring of the shikvihr without blasting the crap out of myself, and only had one teeny little incident where I accidentally set all of my notes and papers on fire. Fortunately I was on the balcony at the time, and the faas were quick with water to douse the small blaze.

And that, boys and girls, is why you should never sigil in bed, I thought with a low laugh as I cleaned up the mess.

Mzatal attended to my training as much as possible; there were many hours, however, during which he remained in closed-door meetings with Vahl. Fortunately, I was at a point where the best thing I could do was practice practice practice what I’d already learned. Idris would have helped, but the boy wonder was tied up with some sort of from-scratch development of a new interlinking diagram method that he and Mzatal had brainstormed. Thankfully, Gestamar stayed close by to help me in case I had questions. Or maybe he stuck close by in case I tried to set the place on fire again. Either was possible.

“Tomorrow is the full moon on Earth,” Gestamar abruptly said, startling me enough that I lost control of the sigil I was crafting. He quickly flicked a claw and dispelled it before it could do more than deliver a light sting.

I gave him a somewhat sour look. “Okay. But we don’t have to worry about phases of the moon here, do we? I mean, there’s shitloads of available potency.”

The tip of his tail twitched. “Dahn, but demons will be summoned to earth from here, and I am often among those summoned.”

“Because you’re so awesome?” I grinned.

“Kri,” he replied with a proud lift of his chin. “But this is not why I tell you of the full moon.” His eyes met mine as he folded his wings in close. “Jekki and the zhurn Bezik are also oft-summoned, and we have agreed to carry letters for you and do what we can to have them safely delivered to your loved ones.”

For the longest moment I could only stare at him while I processed this. “Thank you,” I finally managed. He was offering me a chance to personally let Tessa and the others know I was safe and sound. Mzatal’s communication with Earth was shot to hell with Katashi’s defection, and he wouldn’t have a solid back-up system in effect for at least a couple of months. He did have some sort of verbal arrangement in place to get word to my people in case any of his demons were summoned, but, by his own admission, it was unreliable at best, especially since the communication skills of many of the demons weren’t the greatest. A physical letter made it all feel real, as if I could touch the folks back home.

“I…wow.” I swiped at my eyes, which had somehow become a bit moist. “Thank you,” I repeated.

Gestamar gave a gentle rumble. “Go and write three copies of a letter.” He paused. “And best not to set them on fire.”

“Will I ever live that down?” I asked with a laugh.

The reyza snorted. “Dahn. Demons have long memories and are easily amused.”

It took me most of the rest of the day to write a letter to Tessa, primarily because I had no idea how to explain every thing. I finally gave up and kept it short and simple, telling her I was all right and would be home as soon as possible. I didn’t want to go into any of the other stuff in a letter, and the most important thing was to let her know I was alive and reasonably safe.

There was no sign of Mzatal that night or the next morning, but around mid-afternoon Jekki handed me a trifold parchment with Mzatal’s seal in wax on it. The elegant, handwritten note simply said to please go to the atrium for the evening tone. Please.

An actual written invitation? Weird.

I turned to ask Jekki what it was all about, but forgot my question entirely at the sight of the faas laying clothing out upon the bed.

“This wear!” the faas burbled, pointing to what looked like flowing pants and shirt in a rich maroon. “Tonight. Bathe now and hair Faruk do.”

My eyebrows lifted as my bafflement increased, but I knew better than to defy Jekki’s directive. I cleaned up, allowed Faruk to do my hair in a complex braid complete with gold and silver strands woven through, donned the new clothing and elegant jeweled sandals, and then headed to the atrium.