Page 94 of The Rebel's Prize

It was closer to an hour and a half by the time Valentin arrived. He was dressed as a duq, not a healer, for once, the heavily embroidered and beaded deep red satin of his evening jacket somewhat out of place in the mostly white-and-yellow furnishings of Imogene's sitting room. The sunlight through the windows was beginning to turn deep gold as the afternoon drew to a close. Perhaps he had plans for the evening, because he wasted no time in beginning his examination.

Chloe, feeling steadier, at least, after eating and changing into the clothes Imogene had obtained from Madame G, tried to submit to his questions patiently.

Eventually he stepped away. "As far as I can tell, you haven't been harmed. But you might want to be careful with your magic for the next few days." He took a seat beside her on the sofa. "Your bond still seems...odd."

She tensed. "What do you mean?"

"It wasn't exactly conventional before," he said. "But now it's—" He squinted at her, head cocked. "—wider but less substantial, if I had to guess. It's the latter part that worries me."

"It changed when Deandra attacked Lucien," Chloe admitted. "I'm not sure exactly what happened. It's still there, but you're right, it feels...distant." She squeezed her hands together, trying to stay calm.

Valentin, however, wasn't fooled. He patted her clenched hands gently. "Well, it may just be the effects of the memory charms. I suggest we focus on seeing if there's anything that can be done about that. If not, well, I would recommend you talk to the Academe. I'm sure your father will be eager to help. The venables have probably forgotten more about bonding than I'll ever know."

She hadn't thought to ask Henri. "Don't healers deal with them here?" In Anglion, the only bonds were the marriage rituals. Firmly the business of the temple. As were most things to do with magic. The habit of thinking about them that way was hard to shift, apparently.

He sat back, the hand that bore his signet tugging at his ear. "They're not that common. Bonds that go wrong even less so. But I'm sure the Academe can help. There must be things you could do to strengthen it again."

"Lucien doesn't even remember he's married," Chloe pointed out. "He might not want to."

To lose him now....Fear spiked the back of her throat at the thought. She justcouldn't.

"I doubt that," Imogene snorted. "I was watching when you told him you were married. He seemed very eager to regain his memory. Which I think means he's very much in favor of the idea of being married toyou."

"Or outraged and wants to divorce me," Chloe muttered.

Valentin smiled. "I don't think that's likely. I was at your wedding ball, remember? Lucien plays his cards close to his chest much of the time—a consequence of what he does, I suspect—but he looked at you like his whole world revolved around you. And you've known each other a long time. Even if he's lost the memory of what's happened since you returned, that won't change whatever there was between you before. You were friends before you...left, weren't you?"

"Yes," she admitted. She smiled at him, her nerves easing. He was right. Lucien loved her before. Even without the memories, maybe there was a chance for them. But she wanted him to remember. The thought of him being harmed in any way made her angry.

"What about your memory of the night of the parliament attack?" Valentin asked. "Have you remembered anything more?"

She shook her head. "No. It's still foggy." Whatever the magic was, time wasn't the answer to reversing its effect. "Has anyone spoken to Istvan? Or Deandra?" She remembered giving orders that no one was to talk to them, but whether those orders had been followed was another question.

"Deandra has sealed her fate, attacking Lucien," Valentin pointed out.

She didn't want to think about that. "We still need to see if she—either of them, really—will talk." She turned to Imogene. "Do you know if anyone has tried?"

"No. Not that I've been told. Lucette came to check on you. The Advocate General is apparently furious but is not a man to act hastily. Istvan and Deandra are both cooling their heels back in the cells, and no one has gone near them other than to feed them. Everyone agreed it was best to wait for Elarus."

"Good," Chloe said. The clock on the marble mantlepiece chimed the half hour, and she stood, too aware of the minutes ticking away. "We need to talk to Sophie. Thank you, Valentin." She looked him up and down. "Are you supposed to be attending a ball?"

He pulled a dismayed face, looking down at his jacket. "Hosting dinner for the Andalyssians. Irina insisted."

"Difficult in-laws. I understand." She gave him a sympathetic grin.

"Sejerin Silya is more terrifying than evenyourmother-in-law."

"She's not so bad," Chloe said. "Silya, that is. She might surprise you."

"I'll settle for just getting through the evening. So far, I get the distinct impression that I am not their ideal addition to the family," Valentin said. "Please feel free to interrupt and send for me for any reason at all."

She snorted and shook her head. "You can't leave Irina alone to deal with all of them."

An odd expression crossed his face. "No. They seem to have resigned themselves to the fact of our marriage, but who knows what they might try on their own?"

She laughed. "Well, then. We both have our work cut out for us tonight. I'm going to talk to Sophie and Elarus."

"Good. Lucien should wake in a few hours. I gave him a stronger dose than you. The rest will be good for him, and having some answers when he wakes up would be even better. We can give him another dose if you need more time. Just let me know."

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