“Good,” I said, “then we can discuss my place at court.”
“Did you not hear you’re to be one of the queen’s attendants?”
I cocked my head at him. He’d known, probably discussed with King Leofric about giving me that position. “Yes, I spoke to the queen. Did it not occur to either of you what she would assume when the king specifically requested me?”
Ronan looked at me without any understanding. “Did she think you unqualified?”
“No, she thought her husband enamored with me.”
Ronan drew to a stop. “Oh, no. We must set that to rights at once.”
I tugged at his hand, pulling him forward again. “I already did. I told her you were the one smitten with me. If you were trying to keep your attentions a secret, we’ll have to rely on her discretion.”
“If I were trying to keep my attentions a secret, I’ve made a poor start. We’ve gone strolling about this evening and last.Lady Somerton will no doubt share her opinion about that with everyone she knows.” His eyebrows knit together. “It’s hard to unlearn some of Wolfson’s lessons. All my practical sensibilities tell me it’s safest for you if no one knows the extent of my feelings, and yet…” He let out a long breath. “My desire to be with you openly seems to outweigh all else.” His footsteps slowed to a stop again, and he turned to better see my expression. “Would you encourage me to be practical or not?”
I shrugged and smiled. “I’ve never been the practical sort. Your sensibilities will get no help from that quarter.”
He nodded, still debating the matter. “I also dislike the idea of any of the lords or knights supposing you unattached and trying to win your affections.”
“Lord Percy is quite attentive.”
“Lord Percy would make an admirable toad.”
I laughed and squeezed his hand. “We’ll let others know we’re courting. You needn’t fear anyone will threaten my safety as a way to influence you. I can defend myself.”
His eyebrow quirked up. “You’ve not practiced as much as the other mages. You are a novice among experts.”
“And yet I held my own against the best of the king’s wizards.”
“While they slept.”
“I was talking about you.”
“I must see to it that you practice more. The next wizard you battle might not be in love with you.”
My heart lifted. He loved me. I would never grow weary of hearing him say those words. “I will happily practice because I don’t want you to worry.” And because I knew he would teach me.
“Such sacrifices you’ll make for me?” He laughed, his eyes bright as a sunny day. “Good. We’ll start with transformation.If you’ve the power to change into a tree, you’ve the power to manage more animal forms than a wolf.”
“You want to practice right now?” I’d thought we’d come to this secluded spot for other reasons.
“I’ve something for you to see on top of the wizards’ tower, but you’ll need to transform into a bird to reach it.”
“Or I could use the stairs. You did say there was a trapdoor there, didn’t you?”
“The door is underneath barrels which makes it unusable unless we fly to the tower first and move them.” He rubbed his hands together, ready to proceed with my first lesson. “Do you recall the enchantment to change into a falcon?”
“Yes, but it’s never worked before.”
“You said you needed a strong emotion to perform these sorts of spells.” He put his hands on my shoulders and drew me closer. “Let that emotion be happiness. Let it give you wings.”
Ah, poetry. So chivalrous. He lowered his head and kissed me, which was a mistake if he wanted me to transform into a bird. I wrapped my arms around him, glad to be human. The kiss was as familiar and tender as the ones we shared at Docendum, but better. It came with a future attached to it.
He pulled away and murmured, “Say the spell.”
I did, not believing for a moment it would work. An odd sensation came over me, I was shrinking. My arms flung out at my sides as though blown that way by a gale. I cried out in surprise and the sound was a screech.
Still, I doubted I’d made the spell work. More likely, Ronan had transformed me.