Page 18 of Elemental Affections

“Of?”

“You don’t need to live a restrained life while your almost-fiancé fucks around.” Ezzyn’s nose wrinkled at the mention of Brint. “I can be discreet. The Valley isn’t so far from Grae Port.”

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about.”

“Fun. For a time. Are you opposed?”

“I don’t— I can’t…” Ana looked around, suddenly aware that, though secluded, their nook wasn’t entirely private. “People will—”

Ezzyn scoffed. “I’m a prince, my brother’s decision to make the title ornamental more than anything notwithstanding. You needn’t worry about me broadcasting our involvement.”

Ana fussed with her skirt to distract her hands. “I don’t think I can do that.”

“Ah. If not love lost between you and Avenor, then some feeling?” Ezzyn said in a wry tone.

“No, not that. It’s just, I’ve never wanted this kind of a relationship. If you feel this way about me, I’m afraid—”

“Oh, Flame snuff me—just stop.” Ezzyn held up his hands. “I’m not suggesting anything like arelationshipbetween us. I don’t want that.”

The rapidity with which he spoke lanced at something soft within her. Perhaps he was more like Brint than she’d thought, saw a lonely woman who would make for a casual tumble. Discreet and easily discarded in the morning. And maybe it would’ve been fun, like he said. For a time … like he said. But with her reputation and mother’s ire at risk, it sounded too much like work. Ana wanted more. Ezzyn, her old tutor and subject of a bit of a girlhood crush—the prospect of him threatened to be too much. The kind offunthat would make her crave something else, and he’d made it abundantly clear she should expect no such thing.

“I see.” She stood. “Forgive my ignorance. I should get back.”

“Wait, Ana.” She paused by the hedge. “Don’t give up on Sylveren, at least.”

She gave him a bland smile, heart sinking that that had been his parting thought. “Goodnight, Ezzyn.”

“You’ll regret it, Ana. You’ll regret it forever,” he said, not sharp but quiet. “You’re a mage. It’s where you should be.”

Anadae didn’t answer. She left him at the bench, his words heavy in her mind.

It was late enough that the lights inside the Towers had been turned to their evening levels. Dae hurried down the hall, scanning the nameplates on the doors. She hadn’t been to the Fire Tower before, seeing as she’d never had any need. It occurred to her, halfway around the building with no luck so far, that presuming Ezzyn would have a professor’s office in his brother’s place was a mistake. Especially when Garethe had been both a visiting professor andnota fire mage, and thus his office might not be in said tower at all. Ifthatwas the case, then it would save her energy in the long run to go back to the registrar’s office, desperately hope someone was still around past closing, and ask where Ezzyn’s office was. She’d finally read the damned forms he’d sent about the assistantship; he’d been given the “requisite space” to conduct his research. Whatever that meant.

The notice of her enrollment in the seminar along with her receipt of filing to be his research assistant were clasped in her hand, though they were starting to get crinkled and a touch sweaty. But the sight of them, the proof of her defiance to his snide beliefs, spurred her on, led her to an office door with a blacked-out nameplate andEzzynscrawled in chalk over the top. Gods all help her—his handwriting was more atrocious than she remembered. She didn’t pause or collect herself, just knocked once on the open door, confirmed Ezzyn was alone, and marched in.

Ezzyn looked up, mild surprise quickly hidden behind a wary expression. “Ana, this is a—”

“Anadae, or Dae, for that matter. I don’t care which, but kindly cure yourself of our old familiarities.” Dae slapped her papers onto his desk. “They don’t apply anymore.”

Ezzyn slid the receipts closer, his gaze flicking between the desk and her.

“You’re right, I made the wrong choice before. Staying in Graelynd.” The corner of her mouth lifted in a not-quite smile. “But I’m not too proud to own that and fix it.”

Dae took the notices back and slipped them into her bag as she spun around to leave.

She made it to the doorway before Ezzyn finally spoke. “Anadae.” No pause or stutter step midway through her name.

She glanced back but made no move to return before his desk.

Ezzyn’s mouth opened, appearing on the verge of saying something. But he closed it, made a soft huff through closed lips. “I’ll see you at the lab.”

Dae inclined her head a small amount and left.

Chapter 7

Itdidn’ttakelongfor Dae to figure out why the mask, with its strings of blue beads dangling just above her chin, had been offered at a discount. By the third time she nearly broke a tooth trying to eat one of the magicked grape offerings, she was ready to give up on the masquerade and retreat to her room. She had a mountain of reading still to do, not to mention how Dae didn’t know anyone at Sylveren well to begin with, let alone once everyone donnedmasks.The party food was good, though, and she hadn’t been up in the dome atop the main building on campus yet. The Grove had provided a variety of small bites for the masquerade made with produce from its many gardens. Some were lightly magical and others mundane, but all were tasty. A few more minutes pretending to be social wouldn’t hurt.

Brushing the string of beads hanging from the lower edge of her mask to the side, Dae ate another of the ruby-skinned grapes. The card next to the plate had said they had a calming effect. She wasn’t so sure. A honey-like taste, yes, but she didn’t feel any lighter. Somewhat regretful of her decision to dress for the masquerade theme, maybe. The beads on her mask were supposed to impart a sparkly fringe effect, and perhaps they did, but the image was undone by her needing to spit them out. Pretty but impractical, which reflected how she felt wearing it.

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