Page 178 of Bitten & Burned

It was only when he followed my gaze toward the hallway that he stopped short. His eyes flicked back to me, then to Quil, then to the closed door of my bedroom.

“There’s only one bed.”

“Yes,” I said. “But it’s big. You remember.”

Vael shook his head. “No, I meant, you want me and Quil in there? Together?”

“And me as well. I’m not sleeping on my sofa,” I said primly. “I’ll be between you. It’ll be fine. You won’t accidentally wake up spooning one another.”

“You must be joking,” he said flatly.

“No. I truly believe that if I’m between you, you won’t spoon each other. Unless you believe you’ll be drawn inexplicably to one another throughout the day.”

“Rowena…” Vael groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Quil gave him a hard look, then nodded toward the door. “It’s the only room that’s light-proofed, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “So unless you’d rather risk the dawn in my washroom, that’s where you’ll both be sleeping.”

Vael exhaled sharply through his nose, muttering, “Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.”

He cast a baleful glance at Quil. “If I wake up with your elbow in my ribs, I’m staking you myself.”

Quil snorted. “Try it.”

I went in first and made sure all the sun-blockingcurtains were tacked down, so not a bit of sunlight would leak through. It was pitch black in here, so I turned on a light.

Quil stood in the doorway. “So we’re all sleeping in here?”

“Unless you want to spend the day crouching in my laundry room while Fig brings you every toy mouse he owns.”

“But you’ll be in here with us?” he asked.

“For the most part. I think I’m going to get up and go to Blackthorn to borrow some books. But I’ll be back and we’ll go see Silas tomorrow evening.”

He sighed. “I’m not sure you should even leave the apartment without me,” he said softly, walking to the bed and pulling off his shirt.

Vael leaned against the doorframe, arms folded. “For once, I agree with him. You shouldn’t be wandering Caer Voss alone right now. Every errand can wait. Every book at Blackthorn will still be there when this is finished.”

“I’ll be fine. Blackthorn is like home to me. The wards there are very complex; Silas would have a hard time getting around them. Besides, it’s neutral territory. Silas values his standing in the academic community too much to risk it by coming and kidnapping me from the Blackthorn Institute in broad daylight.”

Quil hummed, but didn’t sound convinced. He kicked off his boots and socks.

“Please trust me?” I asked. Vael grumbled under his breath. Something about me being stubborn.

“Fine, but don’t go anywhere else,” Quil said, climbing into bed.

“Well, I mean, I’m going to go see Thalia…”

“Rowena!” He sat up. “I mean it. Nowhere else.”

“Fine, I’ll tell Thalia to come meet me at Blackthorn, better?”

“Gods,” he grumbled. “You are the most infuriating witch in Verdune.”

“I’m fairly certain I’m not.”

“I’m fairly certain I’m not.”