Page 133 of Arcane Entanglement

“I swear, these things are the devil’s work,” he muttered under his breath. He looked up and arched an irritated eyebrow at Ginny. “So, what’s the momentous occasion that made you invite me here for afternoon—?” He trailed off as his gaze landed on Ophelia.

Rufus froze, his eyes rounding.

Ophelia stared unblinkingly back at the inspector, a delicate blush creeping into her cheeks.

A hush descended on the room as the pair gazed breathlessly at one another.

“Should we leave the two of them alone?” Viggo hissed, sotto voce.

Evander and Ginny surreptitiously stepped on his feet.

The Brute didn’t even wince.

Chapter52

Rufus finally regained his senses.“My apologies.” He bowed his head stiffly at Ophelia. “I didn’t know Lady Hartley had company.”

Ginny introduced them to one another.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Miller,” the inspector said, his Adam Apple bobbing nervously.

Ophelia curtsied shyly. “The pleasure is mine.”

The butler had the maids serve them afternoon tea before closing the drawing door.

“Ginny told me you wanted to see us?” Evander asked Ophelia lightly after they’d helped themselves to tea and cake.

Ophelia exchanged a tense glance with Ginny. Ginny nodded wordlessly.

Evander was pleased to see the exchange despite the evident gravity of the situation. It seemed the two women had become firm friends, just as he’d hoped.

Ophelia took a deep breath and met Evander’s gaze unflinchingly.

“I gather you know what I am, your Grace?”

“Please, call me, Evander,” he murmured. “I have a feeling the five of us will become more than just friends today.”

Rufus and Viggo gave Evander a puzzled look. Ginny frowned faintly.

“As to your question, yes, I know what you are,” Evander told Ophelia quietly. “You’re a light mage. And an incredibly powerful one at that.”

Viggo stiffened. Rufus’s eyes bulged.

Ginny cursed. “So I was right! That night at the ball, when you warned Evander. It was because you had a vision?!”

Ophelia bobbed her head. She sagged on the sofa, as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“Vision?” Viggo said, puzzled.

Rufus frowned. “What vision?”

Evander gave them a cursory account of what had transpired at the Ashbrookes’ ball. So much had happened since that night he’d utterly forgotten to tell them about the incident.

He studied a pale-faced Ophelia with a mix of wonder and concern in the hush that followed.

Wonder because light mages were incredibly rare and possessed powers that easily humbled most other forms of magic, chief among their talents being the ability to foretell the future. Concern because of the immense responsibility and danger that came with that status.

Light mages were considered on a par with Archmages and could easily become targets for those who sought to exploit or destroy them.