Chapter 23

Mara's POV

Ronan refused to sit down until Maeve threatened to cut his shirt off in front of the entire west archive. That worked immediately.

"Interesting," I said as he lowered himself into a chair.

"Do not enjoy this."

"I am enjoying it a little."

Maeve pressed two fingers beside the red scar over his heart. "The mark is hotter than the surrounding skin. Any chest pain?"

"Only when people ask me unnecessary questions."

"I can make the next question hurt."

He sighed. "Pressure. No stabbing pain. The command feels worse than the mark."

Soren arrived half an hour later, still carrying registry pages like a man afraid someone might steal history if he blinked