“You certainly took your sweet time,” Janco said to Valek as he plopped into one of the armchairs. He propped his feet up on the ottoman and sighed.

Ari shook his head. “The boy has no manners.”

“What? I’m supposed to wait for an invitation to make myself comfortable?” Janco pished.

Sitting in another armchair, Ari made it appear small in comparison to his large frame. “You both look better,” he said.

I opened my mouth to thank him, but Janco waved a hand. “Pah. Small talk. We’re beyond small talk.”

“True,” Valek agreed. “You’re here to say goodbye.”

Janco straightened. “How did you know?”

Valek waited.

“Yeah, well, I guess we spent a lot of time working together.” He frowned. “But we think we’d be bored here in Sitia.”

“We?” Ari asked.

“Well, Ari is too polite to use the word bored, but we realize that you are going to build a nest and settle down.”

“Nest?” I asked.

“Home, nest, you know what I mean. You don’t need us getting in the way. And Little Miss Assassin needs us more.”

I wasn’t surprised by their decision. “I’m glad. Onora has a rough road ahead of her, and having friends will make it easier.”

“We’ll visit, of course. Someone has to teach the kid how to get away with stuff that you won’t let him or her do.”

I glanced at Valek. “Remind me to never leave Janco alone with our child.”

“Hey!”

We all ignored him.

“And we’ll drop everything and come if you need us,” Ari said.

“Unless you need us to change diapers. Then forget it.” Janco waved a hand under his nose.

“Just remember, we also can offer aid if you need it,” Valek said to them.

“Will do.” Janco saluted. “Our herd may roam, but we all know where is home.”

* * *

The students returned to the Magician’s Keep on the first day of the cooling season. The New Beginnings feast was a highly anticipated affair. I hadn’t been to one in years. But this year’s feast represented so much more than the start of a new school year. Everyone needed a night of celebration and fun after being under the Cartel’s influence.

Before the party, Valek stood in front of the mirror in our rooms in Irys’s tower. He wore a silver silk tunic with black piping, black pants and a silver belt—formal Sitian dress clothes—and they showed off his athletic physique. He’d regained weight and muscle tone since he’d recovered from the Harman sap. And I’d gained about a hundred pounds in baby weight...or so it seemed. He was sleek and sexy, and I was the size of a heifer.

“I feel ridiculous,” he said, yanking at his high collar. “I’m the oldest student ever to attend the Keep. Can we skip the feast?”

“No. It’ll be fun. Don’t worry, you’ll be working with Irys and Teegan and won’t have to attend classes with the first-years.”

“Thank fate.”

We entered the dining room and wove through the clumps of people, stopping and talking as we headed for the buffet. Food first, dancing second. After we ate, Valek pulled me to the dance floor. He twirled me around as the music vibrated through the air.

Zethan mingled among the students and faculty with ease, but Zohav stayed on the edges of the room, frowning at anyone who approached her. Valek coaxed her onto the dance floor, while I partnered with Zethan.

“Don’t worry about Zo,” he said when he noticed the direction of my gaze. “She’ll thaw eventually. It always takes her a while to adjust.” Then he laughed. “And this has been the craziest year in our entire lives.”

“I’d say. You’ve experienced a lot of changes. But you seem to have made friends already.”

“Compared to being captured by pirates and then arrested by the scariest man in Ixia, who ends up being your older brother and involved in a dangerous plot to overthrow an evil Cartel? This is easy.”

I laughed. “When you put it that way, I see your point.”

“And it all worked out. I’m learning about my magic. I have a sister-in-law, and I’m gonna be an uncle!” He beamed at me.

His resemblance to Valek was unmistakable, and I hoped it didn’t cause him trouble in the future. Many Sitians still feared Valek, despite all he’d done to save us. At the end of the song, I said, “Just remember, we are here if you and Zohav need anything.”

“I know. There’s only one thing I’m worried about.”

Concerned, I put my hand on his arm. “What is that?”

“That after all the excitement of the past couple seasons, school will be boring in comparison.”

I swatted him. “You’re just like your brother.”

“Thank you.”

Boys.

* * *

After the feast, life slowly returned to normal. Valek kept busy attending sessions with Irys, and with helping to teach the students self-defense and fighting techniques in the training yard. I spent my time reading through Bain’s history books. I hoped to find some mention of another magician who might have had the same magic-sucking power as the baby.

I was propped up in bed scanning a book on the clans that traced the lines of magic in families when pain ringed my stomach. My first thought was that I’d been poisoned by White Fright again. Memories flashed of being locked in General Brazell’s dungeon while it felt as if someone shredded my insides with a rusty knife. But that was nine years ago. My confusion cleared when another contraction hit, stronger than the last. It was the middle of the cooling season, and the baby was coming. Now.