Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

Gunter glared at him. “Excuse you. I’m capable of leaving my library without being forced out.”

Baldewin snorted. “Lies. Lies and slander. The only two things to reliably get you out of the dungeon are pranks and Nikki. And I don’t see a Nikki.”

“Nikki is at a magic lesson,” Gunter returned, lifting his chin in a so-there manner.

Proving he was not slow on the uptake, Baldewin blinked once before addressing Alric. “He got all lonely without Nikki and came to pester you, didn’t he?”

“Got it right in one,” Alric confirmed, chuckling.

Gunter truly wondered what he’d done to deserve these two. It must have been some heinous crime.

“We were speaking of perhaps finding a therapist for Nikki,” Alric said, catching him up to speed. “Nikki’s still battling with feeling caged inside the walls.”

“Ah. Tori did mention that.” Baldewin dropped into the seat next to Gunter without invitation, his expression sympathetic. “Worried me like hell the first time Tori took off. And the second time. Can’t say it was any easier the fifth time, for that matter. But I’ll tell you what does help.”

Gunter was all ears. “What?”

“Therapy helped a bunch. Not just for Tori, but for me. Turns out not having any possibility of a mate for hundreds of years did something of a number on me, too. Not that I was properly aware of it. Tori brought me into a session with him, and that came out. It helped put us on the same page, as Tori then understood emotionally what I went through every time he felt the urge to get out. I don’t think he realized up until then how much it bothered me.”

Now that was a good point. Had Gunter ever expressed that much to Nikki? All he’d done was try to open up avenues for Nikki, but had he tried to communicate anything else? What he had communicated to Nikki now seemed a little inadequate.

Baldewin added thoughtfully, “The thing I find helped the most was the code word we devised. Every time the urge to leave hits Tori, he’ll text me a simple word: Walkabout.”

“Walkabout?” What the hell did that mean?

“I blame Crocodile Dundee for the word itself, but all it means is he’s got itchy feet. He’s going out, but he’ll come back. I know, when I see walkabout, what he’s doing and feeling. And I have the reassurance he’ll come back. That communication between us has changed our whole dynamic, and I haven’t been nearly as nervous since.”

Gunter recognized good advice when he heard it. “I definitely want the name and number for your therapist.”

“Sure. She’s great, we both adore her.” Baldewin immediately took out his phone to text the information over. “There, you’ve got it.”

“Thanks. I’ll talk this over with Nikki. At the very least, I think I want to talk to her.” Deliberately changing the subject, Gunter asked Baldewin pointedly, “And what are you here for, anyway? Because it wasn’t to drop in and give me relationship advice.”

“Something good finally happened.” Baldewin’s smile had a feral hint, as if he had finally locked onto prey he’d been seeking for some time. “Lina Jaeggi told Sora she’s willing to talk.”

Alric whipped his phone out, texting someone. “Where is she? Sora’s workroom?”

“At the moment. Should I call her up here?”

Alric paused, torn. “I want her to be in surroundings familiar to her, so I’d normally say leave her in Sora’s workroom. But I know all the kings will want to be in on this conversation, and there’s not enough room for all of us in there.”

“No, not even close,” Baldewin agreed. “I think it’s fine as long as Sora accompanies her. I’ll escort them up.”

“Good. I’ll notify the kings. Let’s convene in thirty minutes.”

Gunter felt a thrill as he realized what this meant. Finally, finally, they had a chance of flipping the tide of this war. Their informant was ready to talk. He could only hope she shared information they could use.

He didn’t think he was alone in the sentiment—he was more than willing to see the end of this war.

Nikki slowed their steps as they neared Alric’s office. They wished Gunter was there to walk them in, but he’d already been meeting with Alric when he’d contacted Nikki with the news the Jaeggi was willing to strike a deal. It hadn’t made any sense for Gunter to come get them and walk them to Alric’s.

And it wasn’t the idea of going to Alric’s office where all the kings were meeting. They’d seen enough of Alric and the other kings that any lingering fears and anxieties had largely vanished. Alric’s office felt almost as comfortable as the library at this point.

No, it was that a Jaeggi waited in there. Nikki really didn’t know who they’d brought in. They’d deliberately asked no questions, trying not to think of a Jaeggi being under the same roof as them. Nikki had regrets now. A little mental prep would have gone a long way.