run and it would harry him endlessly until he came home. “I’ll get your tea.”

There was nothing else to say. Dane kicked off his boots and hung up his coat before going to the

kitchen. Vivian was sitting at the table in front of the tea service, hands cupping a delicate china cup of Earl Grey. There was such sympathy in her eyes that he willed her to say nothing as he came to get the tea.

“It could be good for you,” she said, ignoring his glare.

“Viv…” Dane growled a warning for her to shut up.

“At the least, they’ll send Jonas for him,” she murmured. Her dark eyes were bright with mischief.

“You love playing with Jonas.” Dane wasn’t going to be mollified with that, but it did take some of the

sting from the assignment. “When he wakes up and you’re not there, he asks where you are,” she added,

and Dane knew she wasn’t referring to Jonas.

For some reason, that made Dane pause. He picked up the tea tray to take to Cyrus. “Why would he

do that?”

“Maybe because he trusts you?” Vivian shrugged gracefully, smiling at him. “It really might be good

for you, you know, to have something of your own.”

“I don’t want it.” Dane turned away from her, careful not to slosh the milk in the tiny pitcher on the

tray.

“It’s not always your choice.”

“What am I supposed to do with him?” Dane gave up and put the tray back before he spilled

something in frustration. Cyrus could wait for his damn tea.

“Be yourself.” Vivian shrugged again. “You’ve never failed at that. He needs someone. And we need

him. You don’t have to mean it, Dane.” She took a sip of her tea. “You just have to do it. It’s not like he’ll ever know the difference. How could he?”

26

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Tatterdemalion

But that was just it. Where other creatures, human creatures, could lie and deceive, animals were

notoriously poor at anything but the most trivial dishonesty. Dane had been trapped in this half-state longer than other men lived, and he’d grown comfortable in it, in his isolation and his feral honesty. There were

good reasons why being separated from his more human self had been a relief.

He wanted to tell Vivian and Cyrus both how much this disgusted him, but he couldn’t. He picked up

the tray instead. “This had better not take long.”

Cyrus looked up when Dane returned with the tea and set it beside him. He didn’t comment until

Dane had handed over his cup. “You will, of course, observe a modicum of decorum with him.”

“I’ll what?” Dane straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. He was already worn thin with

this idiocy about him taking care of the fragile little mage. “Say what you mean for once, Cyrus.”

Cyrus sipped his tea and chuckled. “Don’t allow your animal instincts to get the better of you, or his

to get the better of him. This is not a dalliance, nor is he available to you as entertainment, should you grow bored.”

Dane was sorely tempted to walk out. “I’m not an animal, Cyrus.”

“Just a warning.” Cyrus took another sip of tea. “The last thing I need is to lose him because you’ve

broken his heart. You do have a certain charm, you know.” He gave Dane a look he knew well, all corvine

amusement at Dane’s expense.

“I’ll do what’s best for him.” If Dane was stuck with this, he was going to do it right, and damn

Cyrus’s maundering about decorum.

“See that you do.” Cyrus turned his attention to his tea and his papers. “Don’t coddle him. His training

should begin the moment he’s well enough. I want to know what he can do as soon as possible.”

“Is that all?” Maybe Cyrus wanted some flowers arranged, or some kittens fostered, or some other

equally appropriate use of Dane’s time.

“For now.” Cyrus didn’t look up. “Make sure he dresses warmly when you take him out. I don’t want

to have to call the healer back again.”

Dane took a long breath and let it out slowly. Childcare wasn’t in his job description. He didn’t even

have a job description. Sometimes, he wished for one, so he could point at it when he was trying to refuse

new things, for all the good it would do him in the end.

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27

Chapter Three

Lindsay hadn’t left his room yet, not today and not before. He’d showered, soaking up the heat from

the water. Dane kept the fire going in the fireplace, but a chill always crept in. Lindsay was cold all the time, these days. Maybe he had been before the Institute. It was hard to remember. Even the calisthenics

that had been drilled into him one horrible summer at military camp—useful enough now that he was trying

to regain some strength—didn’t warm him up.

He’d wrapped himself in a robe he’d found in the closet and curled up in the chair Dane used when

watching over him in the night. He was sure it was warmer there than anywhere else in the room. Lindsay

looked out the window at the cold blue sky. At least he wasn’t the only thing that was cold. The door

creaked open and Lindsay startled, but only a little.

“Hello, dear.” Vivian was a tiny Asian woman, even smaller than Lindsay. Lindsay couldn’t begin to

guess her age or her origin. There was something timeless about her, as with Dane, that made it hard to

compare her with anyone else Lindsay had known.

Today, she was dressed in a bright red pantsuit and had her dark hair pulled back. Her hands were full

of shopping bags in a variety of colors. The difference between her and Dane was night and day. She was

elegant and refined, while Dane was huge and seemed perpetually shabby.

“I went shopping for you. Dane said you’d been up and about so I thought you ought to have some

clothes.”

Lindsay tilted his head, watching her, trying to figure out if there was a catch. “Thank you,” he said

softly. He meant it. “You were able to guess my size?” He didn’t even know his own clothing size.

“I’m clever that way.” Vivian stopped at the desk and put down the bags she was carrying.

“Someone’s got to keep everyone in the house dressed. I bought you slacks and such. You’ll be wanting to

go out soon. I had to guess, so I bought several pairs of shoes. I’ll go get those while you take a look in the bags.”

“Thank you,” he said again, slipping up out of the chair. He pulled the robe tight around himself and

padded over to peer into the bags.

He pulled out a heavy, charcoal-colored wool coat, and the gloves and scarf that had been tucked

beneath it. It looked warm. He liked that idea.

Vivian returned with three more bags. “Of course, I had to get you a couple pairs of jeans, because

Dane said it was nonsense to bring just slacks, that you’d want jeans.”

Tatterdemalion

“Thank you,” Lindsay said quietly. He didn’t know if he would or not. Maybe Dane was right.

“Do you want to try some of it on while I wait, or should I leave you to it?” Vivian gave him a warm

smile. “You’ll be going out with Dane as soon as you’re able.”

Lindsay blinked at her. “Going out?”

“Well, you’ve got to get used to the city.” Vivian took boxes of shoes and boots out of the largest bag.

“Cyrus has put Dane to the task of making sure you get on okay, that you learn to fend for yourself, get

strong and stay safe. You’ll want to be working on your magic too, I’m sure.”

His magic. Lindsay looked at the boxes so he wouldn’t have to look at Vivian. His magic had only

ever gotten him in trouble, and he was still trying not to think about all those bodies… Why would he want

to use it now? “Of course.”

“From what we can tell, your magic is going to be very good for you. It should hide you from anyone