Page 40 of Elemental Affections

His head tilted as he noticed her struggle, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

Dae busied herself tucking the notes into her bag. “Your energy is better spent on the materials and spells. I’m good at this part. Ilikeit. It’s good practice for me.”

“Practice?”

She nodded, eyes still on her bag. “Describing a trial. Figuring out the theories being tested, the applications. We didn’t study this at Grae U, and I like seeing how your mind works.”

A beat of silence followed her admission. Heat rose in her cheeks as she realized what she’d said.

“Because it’s informative,” she blurted out. “For me.”

His lopsided smile had turned into a full-blown smirk. “You like my mind,” he teased.

Dae groaned. “I take it back.”

“You think I’mbrilliant.”

“Arrogance isn’t a good look on you.”

His smirk somehow widened. “Confidence in my convictions. And yes, it is.” He shrugged one shoulder.

Gods all … shit. She wouldn’t tell him, but he was kind of right. Confidence suited him, unlike Brint, whose charm was all surface, no substance and gave him a grating air. Ezzyn had an ineffable believability—when he wasn’t looking at her with such a smug expression. It tempted her to do something foolish to wipe it off his face.

“I’ll see you next week,” Dae said before hurrying for the door.

His amused words followed her out. “My regards to your sister.”

Calya was late. Hopefully on account of a productive meeting with Brint and not a result of him wasting time. Dae settled into her booth at the Mighty Leaf and took out the collection of Ezzyn’s notes for the upcoming experiment. Him and hisbrilliantmind. She scowled, teacup hovering in front of her mouth. That was a stretch. Professor Vaadt was brilliant. Dae suspected that her advisor could find a way to utilize water magic in anything. Ezzyn was tenacious. Tracing his scattered thoughts was like assembling a puzzle. Parsing his ideas and forming them into a whole taught more than any textbook. That was all, the only reason to explain her eagerness.

His next work investigated a delayed release of fire magic, intended to neutralize the soil followed by a cooling period, then another dose of heat to destroy the poison as it began to creep back. Containment only, but so far, they hadn’t found a permanent solution even for that. The poison continued its slow assault, edging ever closer to the wellspring at the heart of Rhell’s capital.

While Ezzyn favored fire as the main driver of the experiment, it utilized the other elements. Dae noted that she’d need to obtain more soil samples and amendments from the Grove. Water applications, too, and she hoped to be able to contribute to the frost ones. Vaadt’s lecture on evaporative properties of water spells when used offensively had been rattling around in Dae’s head. It hadn’t resulted in anything yet, but the notion refused to quit. It was there, dancing around the corners of her subconscious, an answer just out of reach. Perhaps alternating fire and ice, though earlier trials had failed. If they could just land on the right measurements.

Calya threw herself into the seat across from Dae. She made a noise somewhere between a sigh and an annoyed growl.

Caution in every word, Dae said, “Everything go well with Brint?”

“How did you put up with him for so many years?”

“Not very well,” Dae said, sipping her tea. “I was unhappy for a long time.”

Calya winced. “Sorry. I should’ve seen that one coming.”

Dae poured her a cup. “We’re past it. I’m here now, and you appreciate me more with every minute you spend dealing with him.”

Calya’s lip curled. “Do I ever. He justtalks,and none of it actually answers my questions half the time. I’d be impressed if it wasn’t fucking with the project so much. He keeps quoting different figures and contracts that aren’t even involved! And then he just laughs andsmilesand says it was an accident.”

“His assistant can’t help?”

“They’re a godsdamned gift. Helped out a bunch with the other projects, since Brint decided to transfer up here without any warning. It’s just this new protection deal that he’s insisting on handling himself.” Calya sipped her tea. “I’m convinced he’s trying to fuck us on this deal, and honestly, I don’t even care anymore. I just want it over. I’ll take the loss. What are you working on?” She pointed at Dae’s notes.

Regular contact with her sister had prepared Dae for her penchant for abrupt topic changes. Dae gathered the papers in her hands. “Memo for an experiment. I assist on upper-level research projects.” She set them off to the side.

“For your advisor?”

“No, they already had assistants lined up when I started here.” Dae hesitated, fought the urge to smile. “Ezzyn Sor’vahl.”

“Prince Sor’vahl? Your old tutor?” Calya’s nose scrunched in thought. “That must be intense.”

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