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‘Do you? Because you’ve hardly said more than a handful of words to us since the initiation,’ Kipp ventured. ‘I thought we were closer than that, after everything we’ve been through.’

Thea didn’t miss the note of hurt in his voice. Fuck, she’d messed it up with everyone, hadn’t she?

Cal’s knee nudged hers. ‘What happened with you and the Warsword?’

The breath Thea exhaled was shaky. ‘We…’

‘Slept together?’ Kipp finished matter-of-factly.

Thea cringed, feeling her ears grow hot before she managed to compose herself. They’d kept their questions and suspicions to themselves for a long while already, well aware that things were far from simple between her and her mentor. Realistically, it had only been a matter of time before they found out. ‘I wouldn’t exactly call it that.’

‘What would you call it?’ Kipp asked.

‘Fucked against a tree like a pair of animals…?’

Mead exploded from Cal as he coughed and spluttered, eyes bulging.

Kipp looked at him, disappointed. ‘That can’t be a surprise to you, Callahan.’

‘What? Why not? How was I supposed to know —’

Thea couldn’t help but laugh, watching the liquor still dripping from her friend’s nose.

Kipp slung his arm around Cal. ‘Poor Callahan. So innocent in the ways of the world…’

‘Piss off.’

But Kipp hadn’t finished. ‘Haven’t you seen that poor man? He’s like a caged animal when dear old Thea’s around, like he’s trying to break free.’

‘Oh, please,’ Thea scoffed. ‘He wants nothing to do with me now.’

It was Kipp’s turn to scoff. ‘I thought you were smarter than that, wraith slayer. The man’s unhinged because of you.’

‘Unhinged is right.’

‘Can someone tell me what the fuck you’re talking about? How did this happen?’ Cal exclaimed.

‘Well, Callahan… When a man and a woman —’

‘Fuck off, Kipp! You know what I mean.’ He turned to Thea, his gaze imploring.

She shrugged. ‘It was never easy between us. But… I don’t know. One moment we were going to be together and the next… The next he was my mentor, and I was his apprentice. He never wanted that. Never wanted me.’

‘I don’t believe that for a second.’ Kipp pressed the jug back into her hands. ‘But it sounds like you need this more than I do.’

Cal was still looking bewildered. ‘How did I not know this was going on?’

‘Because you, my friend, have your head so far up your own arse it’s a miracle you’ve noticed anything at all these past few months,’ Kipp declared merrily.

Cal gave Thea a sideways glance. ‘See what I’ve been dealing with when you’re not around?’

Thea laughed, taking a deep drink from the growler. ‘I’ll endeavour to help you out a bit more going forward.’

‘I’d be much obliged.’ He waited a beat, his curious expression reminding Thea of Samra before she was about to ask something utterly inappropriate. ‘So… All that Warsword prowess… Does it translate —’

Thea’s gaze snapped to his. ‘Don’t you dare ask.’

Cal’s cheeks flamed as Kipp wandered to a nearby shelf and innocently pulled a bottle loose. ‘Is that why you’re training so hard? In the hopes that little Cal might become big Cal one day?’