He grinned crookedly. “They’ve cooled down.”

“Is there any chance the former owner will be at Sirens tonight?”

“That would depend on who’s invited.”

“Maybe a better question would be, ‘Who should I avoid?’ ”

He shrugged. “I took it off a ship going to Nebia.”

“Are there any Nebian royals or merchants among Ronan’s students?” I asked Piaras.

“Not that I’m aware of.” The kid was fighting a grin and losing. I should have known better than to think anyone in my family could set a good moral example. Though it was nice to see Piaras smile.

I sighed. “They are beautiful. I’ll chance it.”

“There’s a matching bracelet and earrings in the bag, too,” Phaelan said brightly.

Of course there were. Never let it be said my cousin stole anything halfway.

Chapter 17

I was bejeweled, my hair was up, and I was dressed—at least from the front.

Riston’s wife had bought a gown for me, but what she didn’t get was an extra pair of hands to lace the thing up. The gown laced up the back, starting near the base of my spine and ending just below my shoulder blades. All I saw when I looked over my shoulder were open silk laces and a lot of exposed skin.

Crap.

Vegard’s duties were about to expand to include dresser.

I went to the door and yanked it open. Mychael was standing there in his steel gray formal uniform, his fist raised to knock.

I loved a man in uniform. I especially loved seeing this particular man in that uniform. Mychael’s auburn hair was damp from a recent bath—and those sea blue eyes were tracing every velvety curve of my gown. I smiled at him. A girl does like to feel appreciated.

“You were actually going to knock this time,” I said. “No kicking or blasting.”

Mychael met my eyes. “I knocked last time. When you didn’t answer, then I kicked and blasted. May I come in?”

I stepped aside so he could.

Mychael closed the door behind him. “Riston’s wife wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I—”

“Told her what you would like?” I finished suggestively.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I thought you would agree with my choice.”

“I do. Do you like it?”

“Very much so,” he murmured. “And the pearls match your eyes.”

My hand went to the choker at my throat. “Phaelan brought them to me.”

“Legal purchase or illegal acquisition?”

I let out a short laugh. “Guess. However, he did say they’ve cooled off enough to wear in public.”

The gown slipped off my shoulder. I quickly pulled it back up, and clutched the front of my bodice with the other hand.

Mychael stepped back toward the door. “I can see you’re not finished dressing. I’ll wait in—”

“No, no. I need your hands.”

“My what?”

I half turned so Mychael could see my predicament. “I can’t go like this.”

I heard a muffled noise and looked over my shoulder at him. He was laughing silently.

“No, you definitely shouldn’t go anywhere like that.” Mychael’s smile had reached his eyes. He was looking at my bare back, but making no move to do anything about making it less bare.

“If you lace me up, we can go.” I turned my back to him. I waited and nothing happened. “You’ve never done this before, have you?” I glanced over my shoulder at him.

Mychael was grinning like a little boy. “I can honestly say that you’re my first.”

I felt my face getting warm, and quickly turned away. “It’s easy. You just start at the bottom and work your way up.”

A moment later, I felt his fingers on the base of my spine. His touch was like a shock. I let out a little gasp before I could stop it.

He paused. “I’m sorry.”

“Fine,” I managed. “I’m fine. I must be a little ticklish down there. Go on.”

He did and I bit my lip against the incredible sensations running up and down my spine and spreading to other places. It was all I could do to stand still. I was glad my back was to him and he couldn’t see my face.

“I think I threaded the laces evenly before I put it on.” My mouth was suddenly dry. “So all you should have to do is tighten them.”

Mychael hesitated, his hands on my waist. “How tight do you like it?”

Oh my.

“Breathing’s good,” I told him. “I need air.” And I could use some more of it right now.

I felt four tugs in sharp succession. If he kept that up, I was going to have to hold on to the bedpost.

“How’s that?” His voice had turned husky.

“That’s good.” And then some. “Wait a minute. Let me…” I squirmed a little in the bodice, took a good breath, then put my hands on my waist and pushed the fabric toward the back. “There. That should work even better.”

Mychael’s hands were warm against my bare back as he worked at the laces, and he was standing so close that I could feel the heat from the rest of him.

Talk, Raine. Talking will help.

“Vegard said you and Justinius went to the elven embassy. You didn’t bring any embassy guards with you, so I assume that I’m still a free woman, and Piaras isn’t under protective custody.”

Mychael gave the laces a sharp tug and I bit back a squeak.

“It wasn’t for lack of trying on their part.” All signs of playful were gone. “Giles Keril argued that since you’re a subject of the elven king, you should be in their custody, not ours. I reminded him that the Isle of Mid is neutral and that any person, regardless of their race or kingdom of birth— unless convicted of a crime in an open court—is granted political asylum for as long as they desire it.”

As he talked, his hands became firm and sure on the laces. “So I have to officially ask you.” His voice was low and close to my ear. “Do you desire it?”

I froze. “Desire it?”

“Political asylum.”

Oh, that. “Yes, I desire it very much.”

“Good. There’s a document in my office you’ll need to sign. Piaras will need to do the same. I’ll take it from there.”

“So that will just delay things until the Khrynsani and Balmorlan can get this into open court.”

“Time was something we were running out of. This will buy us some more. I will find a solution.”

I wondered if my father had heard the same promise from his paladin before he was forced to take the Saghred and run. Or in my case, just run. Time to change the subject.

“I sent a message to Sedge Rinker. I linked with—”

“I know. Sedge was here when I got back. There are only a few places on the island that we know of with cells like you described. I have some men checking them out now.”

Mychael put his hands firmly around my waist, lifted me a scant inch or two off the floor, turned me so I was facing the door, and set me back down. “I need more light,” he explained. “The fireplace is over here.”

Of course.

“Did Sedge know if the kidnapped boy is a spellsinger?” I asked.

Mychael resumed tugging and tightening. “His name is Gustin Sorenson, and he graduated two years ago. He’s a spellsinger in one of the nightclubs.”

“Mychael, three spellsingers are no coincidence,” I said.

“I agree.”

“And Banan Ryce has yet to do anything with them or to them. That tells me he’s probably not finished collecting. When I was in the tub, Sarad Nukpana said I should look to my own people for who’s behind the kidnappings. I’m ashamed to say it, but Taltek Balmorlan is an elf. That means he’s ‘my people.’ Banan and his boys don’t come cheap, and the agency has some very deep pockets. Carnades has me in his sights, but today he and Balmorlan went after Piaras with a vengeance, and they almost got him. And in less than two hours, Ronan’s best spellsingers— including Piaras—will be on Sirens’s stage.”

Mychael finished my lacing with one last tug. “Yes, I know. I’ve already requested that the recital be canceled, or at least postponed.”

“And?”

“Justinius said no.”