Page 17 of Shadowing Bright
Matthias kissed Leo’s shoulder, and she smiled.“I will clear some time in your schedule later on.”
He chuckled, and she kissed him.“Now go and tell him to divorce her.Vaia wants to start her life.She has promised me the title of auntie when she has kids.You know I love being an aunt.”
He grinned.“I am aware of your dedication to the role.”
He pushed away from her and was dressed in seconds.The young male pacing in his office was a far cry from the one who had registered the day before.He was stressed, desperate, and looked at Matthias.“How do I get her to drop the divorce?”
Dorn snorted.“She was abandoned for fifteen years.All she needed to do was notify our magistrate, but she wanted to do it formally.I am guessing that it was a mistake on her part.”
“She could heal herself if she just took in some of my power, but she won’t.She’s fighting me, and I don’t understand why.I mean, her finances were diverted by her family, but I am suing them for the spousal support I gave her over the last fifteen years.”
Dorn frowned and lifted his tablet.“Why did she get the first and not the others?”
“The first was given to her at the wedding.Cash.Apparently, her family kicked her out after the wedding, so she bought her own home.”
Matthias took a seat behind his desk.“You didn’t know?”
“I was sixteen.Her family said she would be fine, and my parents wanted to leave, and I just felt sogoodafter the familiar link.”
“And she felt...”
“I don’t know.My family said she was fine.”
Matthias sighed.“And you were too dumb, actually, to check.”
“I was young, and I trusted my family.I see now that was a mistake.”
“Well, the assassin who was found in her hospital room surrendered information on your mother’s interference.She has decided that your public personal will be better served as a tragic widower than as a husband who neglected his wife.”
“Oh, shit.Wait, she definitely sent the assassins?”
“And is continuing, but we have our transport filters blocked with that particular signal.They will switch it soon, but for now, we can keep her safe while Vaia heals.”
“She won’t heal.Cursed bullets.They spread necrosis through anywhere they touched.She will go septic in another day, and she won’t take what she needs because it negates the familiar contract.”
A sleepy voice said, “So?Negate the familiar contract.Keep the marriage contract.She can still pull your energy through the legal link versus the mage-enforced link.The channel no longer has to remain open because you are a big boy now who can take care of his own output.”
He jolted and looked at Leo, who moved gracefully toward Matthias.“How will that make a difference?”
Matthias’s jaw clenched as Leo leaned against him and stroked his hair.He muttered, “It won’t trap her for another ten years.A marriage contract can be worked out any time, but one pull on your energies locks her into the familiar contract for another decade.No options are available.No negotiations.”
He blinked.“You think she will go for that?”
The assistant sighed.“Just fucking ask her.”
He nodded and glanced at Dorn.“Do you know what is needed?”
“I will have the mage guild send a contract mage.They will sever the familiar link.”
Azreen looked at him and nodded.“Please.Now.”
Matthias looked at him.“Is that it?”
“Yes.Being a young dragon, this sort of thing had not occurred to me.”
“I understand.So, return to your wife and wait for the mage.”Matthias curved his fingers around the dip in Leonora’s hip.
Azreen’s eyes widened as he understood clearly what he had interrupted.
