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how much he wanted Dane. Lindsay pressed his lips to Dane’s with a moan, trying to speak with his body
and offer himself up.
“It’s all right,” Dane said soothingly, petting Lindsay’s hair. “Gently now.”
Lindsay had only a moment to worry that he’d done something wrong when a knock at the door
frightened him.
“It’s just Izia.” Dane petted him again to settle him. “What do you want?” When Dane raised his
voice, his tone shifted to something impatient, maybe even angry.
The door creaked open. “Ezqel wants to see Lindsay before the sun is in the next house.” Izia didn’t
look much less tired than last night, though she was standing on her own. “And I want to make sure you
don’t end up undoing all my hard work.”
As soon as Lindsay realized what she was talking about, his cheeks felt like they were on fire. He
wanted to hide against Dane’s chest, but he took a breath and steeled himself, turning to face her.
“I’ll be down to see Ezqel soon.”
“There’s food in the kitchen. You have time to eat, Lindsay, but not much else.” Izia gave Lindsay a
smile, but she was stern again when she turned her attention back to Dane. “I’ll wait outside a minute, then I need to check your wounds.”
The door creaked shut and latched, but Lindsay could feel her waiting outside. Wounds. Dane was
terribly hurt and Lindsay was thinking about sex.
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“Enough of that,” Dane said brusquely, ruffling his hair. He was drawn and pale. The sun had risen
enough that there was light to better see him by now. “Go on and eat, before Ezqel decides to undo all his
handiwork because I’ve made you late.”
“He’d better not,” Lindsay said, surprising himself with his own fierceness.
Dane laughed and relaxed back into the pillows. “Wait until after he heals you to go defending me.”
“As long as you’re okay, I will.” Lindsay wanted to try to steal another kiss, but he’d had more than
he’d ever thought he’d get. Now wasn’t the time to push his luck. Izia said he’d only have time to eat and
he didn’t have any clothes up here. He slithered out of bed and straightened himself out, fastening the robe properly and finding the slippers where they’d fallen off the bed.
“You’ll be fine as you are.” Dane sounded so tired that Lindsay looked at him in alarm. “And I’ll be
fine as I am, as long as I know you’ll get some breakfast.”
“I’ll eat,” Lindsay promised. “I’ll see you…” He trailed off. He had no idea when he’d see Dane.
Today, tonight, how long would it take?
“Soon enough,” Dane assured him. His eyelids seemed too heavy for him and they fluttered shut
before he stopped them, but he opened his eyes again and mustered up a reassuring smile for Lindsay.
The door creaked open. “Lindsay,” Izia said sternly. “Find Taniel as soon as you’ve eaten, if he
doesn’t find you first.”
“Going.” Lindsay didn’t want to leave, but Izia was here and he was sure that Dane would rather
Lindsay not see him like this. With one last longing look over his shoulder, he slipped out the door.
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Chapter Seven
In the storybook kitchen, Lindsay found more of the custard from the night before, and some dried
fruit. He ate in silence, thinking about Dane. He was alive. Not only was he alive, but he had kissed Lindsay. Lindsay never would’ve guessed anything like that would happen. He was still feeling giddy from
the whole experience. He hoped those good feelings would carry him through Ezqel’s tests. When he was
finished eating, he went looking for Taniel.
Taniel was busy in the library, bent over a huge book. When Lindsay came in, he looked up and
smiled. “Did you sleep well?” He put his pen down and got to his feet. “Ezqel is ready to see you now.”
“Yes, thank you.” Even if he hadn’t, Lindsay’s answer would have been the same. He bit his lip.
“These tests… Do you know…?”
“There are many ways to do things.” Taniel gave Lindsay a sympathetic glance. “I ca
what will happen—even I can’t know. Ezqel himself may not know. I will take you to him.” He gestured
toward a door set back in the shadows of the library.
Lindsay followed Taniel, lagging behind. He was nervous, and Taniel hadn’t helped that at all.
Taniel led Lindsay to a narrow stone staircase that wound up and up past locked doors. They emerged
through a heavy door at the top of the tower, into a round room that looked like a classic wizard’s haven.
Ezqel was seated at a massive desk at the far end, in an alcove lit from above by a globe of light
suspended on a chain. He raised a finger when Taniel brought Lindsay in. “My thanks, Taniel. You may
go.”
Taniel stopped just inside the door, giving Lindsay a reassuring smile. Lindsay nodded, slipping
farther into the room. Not too far, though. He didn’t want to get close to Ezqel. The idea of these tests, whatever they were going to be, was enough to make the meal he’d eaten sit badly in his stomach.
As Taniel closed the door, leaving them alone, Ezqel rose from his seat. “We must know what was
done to you.” He stepped around the desk and picked up a stone sphere. “Taniel has traced some of your
lineage, giving us some understanding of your potential. Have you seen one of these?” The sphere was
larger than a softball, plain but polished.
Lindsay shook his head. It was a rock. He didn’t say that out loud, though. “No. What is it?”
“We call it a kuni. Come. Place your hand on it.” Ezqel waited for Lindsay to come to him.
“Is it…?” Lindsay walked closer, but slowly. “Will it hurt?” He’d had enough pain for a lifetime.
Ezqel held it out at arm’s length. “This will not hurt.” His expression was dispassionate.
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This won’t. But something else might. Lindsay swallowed hard and reached out, carefully pressing his hand to the stone sphere, the kuni.
Ezqel murmured foreign words under his breath and the stone glowed. He tilted his head as though
listening. “That’s enough,” he said after a few moments.
Lindsay pulled his hand back immediately. “What did it do?”
“It told me that you’re a mage.” Ezqel chuckled softly. “And it told me more. But most people use it
simply for that. Kuni come in many sizes and shapes. Keystones, gateposts, pendants, even a stone in a
ring.” He put the kuni back on the stand on his desk. “You need to relax, Lindsay. It’s not as though you’re not going to go through with this.”
Lindsay focused on his feet. Ezqel was right, he wasn’t going to say no. He and Dane had gone
through so much to get here. He nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Fear is to be expected. I understand that you’ve been abused,” Ezqel said simply. “I’m afraid you
will need to revisit some of that today.” He crossed the room to something large draped in black fabric.
When he pulled the fabric away, it revealed a mirror. “This will let me see what was done to you. I will
know what they know, and I will know how you were damaged.”
Lindsay wrapped his arms around himself, shaking as he resisted the urge to step back. “What do you
need me to do?”
Ezqel gestured for Lindsay to come closer. The frame of the mirror was ornate, gilding over wood.
“You must look in the mirror.”
Lindsay could see himself in the mirror, could see the fear on his own face. It was ridiculous, being
afraid of a mirror. Wasn’t it?
Ezqel ran his fingers over a portion of the wood on one side where the gilding was worn away. The
other side had a similar worn spot. “Put your hands here,” Ezqel said and, as Lindsay moved close enough