Page 57 of The Sundered Realms

“I said it would take time to set everything up, between arranging a diplomatic visit and putting your paperwork through. This is for you.” Vhannor held out a card to her carelessly. “It’s a special license permitting you to perform spellwork in the field with a qualified supervisor until you have a chance to pass the normal tests. That’s the one part of your work I’ll still be personally overseeing, since no one else can.”

All at once Liris couldn’t get enough air, like Shry had punched her in the gut. “You... did this? For me?”

He scowled. Finally, an actual expression. “Did you think we were all lying to you this whole time? I don’t expect demon portals on this one, but if you’re serious about being my partner, I need to see you in a diplomatic setting before the ball so I know how to work with you.”

“I am serious,” Liris said. “But... after what happened in Thous, I didn’t think—“

“That you would still be trusted to go as my partner? Ah.”

That you ever wanted me as a partner.

Before she decided how to respond Vhannor continued ironically, “Actually, that incident convinced Nysia you’re not a plant, which motivated her to work with Lady Inealuwor on finishing oversight processes for me as well. To be double-crossing this many directions at once you’d need more experience than she believes you have, and she doesn’t think you’re stupid enough to have tried that on purpose.”

“That’s... good?” Liris shook her head. “Then why did you think I wouldn’t want to go?”

Vhannor’s eyes narrowed, and Liris was suddenly aware they were still standing on opposite sides of a doorway.

“You stopped talking to me,” he said.

What? “You stopped training me.”

He frowned. “I was still here.”

“You stopped training me right after Thous,“ Liris clarified. “I thought you didn’t think I could be your partner after all and just weren’t going to tell me so explicitly.”

Like Serenthuar.

Which, she suddenly realized, made very little sense, because Vhannor had not otherwise behaved like Serenthuar in almost any way.

Vhannor banged his head against the door frame.

Liris paused. So she’d driven him to that already, huh.

“Void it,” he muttered. “You were also here, and at any point I could have asked. I just—“

”—didn’t want to push.“ Liris nodded, her conversation with Shry helping her fill in the blanks.

“Yes.” Vhannor shifted his weight. “So now you understand?”

“I think so,” Liris said. “But if I’m supposed to be your partner, but you’re thinking of me like another little sister—“

“What?”

Did he not realize how he treated all his rescues? Everyone else seemed to. “Shry told me you rescued her and brought her here too.”

“Shry was twelve,“ Vhannor said with some asperity. “You’re an adult, and I have noticed.”

“So? You couldn’t have an adult sister? Shry isn’t that much older than me.”

Vhannor pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can I come in for a moment, please?”

They weren’t fighting anymore exactly, so that was fine. “Sure.”

Or maybe it wasn’t fine, because the whole room felt smaller with him in it. He didn’t take up that much space, but it was his presence—

No, it wasn’t even that, was it? It was just that she felt keyed to him, like his presence brought him into focus and cast the rest of the room into the background.

Liris motioned him toward the bed while she went to take the chair until Vhannor shook his head and said firmly, “Definitely not.”

---