Page 48 of Librarian

Pierce catches it and twirls it experimentally. “Aren’t you worried I’ll give you a matching scar on the other side?”

Jasper grins and touches the faint mark that’s barely visible past his beard. “Naw. If you did, I’d just heal it.”

Wait. Was Pierce responsible for that? If he was, the Scot doesn’t seem bothered by it.

I flick to a new page in my grimoire, drawing a skin healing runeform in hasty strokes. Jasper and his cousins seemed content enough with the small wounds they peppered oneanother with, only bothering to heal the more serious injuries. I don’t trust that Pierce and Jasper will be the same. They’re not usually as competitive as Lambert and North, but it’s better that I’m prepared.

All my thoughts flee as Pierce reaches over his head, fists the back of his shirt, and drags it over his gleaming golden hair.

I’m sure he only did it to preserve a piece of designer clothing, but my eyes are glued to his muscled shoulders as he drops the fabric on the floor beside the piste.

He’s perfect. Not a single blemish on him. It’s fitting. The immaculate Carlton heir never has a hair out of place, so why should I expect the rest of him to be any different?

“You’re perving,” Eddy whispers in my ear, as if we’re schoolgirls.

I know. And overPierce, of all people.

“They make it hard not to,” I retort.

Pierce has always reminded me of a fairy-tale prince, so seeing him with a sword in his hand is surreal. And Jasper? Jasper may as well be Archangel Michael with his softly curling hair and guileless eyes. My cheeks heat as he spots me watching and shoots me a wink.

They step up to the lines, and Jasper nods to one of his red-headed cousins, who grins and calls, “En garde.”

The ringing sound of metal-on-metal echoes through the gym, and I belatedly realise that Lambert and North have stopped their competition to watch.

“Kick his ass, Jas,” one of the McKinleys calls.

From the grin on Jasper’s face, I don’t think he’s that bothered about the outcome. Pierce isn’t smiling—I’m not sure he ever does—but there’s an ease to the way he parries and ripostes.

Jasper said that Pierce used to fence with him while he was a prisoner, but I wrongly assumed that was a rare thing. Theymove with ready familiarity, easily anticipating which moves the other will make. It’s like they’re dancing rather than fighting.

Pierce draws back with a curse, and Jasper’s cousins explode with glee as he lifts his wrist to his mouth with a grimace.

“You’ve gotten lazy since we last did this,” Jasper taunts.

Pierce drops his arm, assuming theen gardeposition again. “My sparring partner left unexpectedly, and I fell out of practice. Best of three?”

“So,” Lambert says, dropping to sit beside me as they resume. “Pierce Carlton is giving you expensive jewellery. Does this mean he’s definitely a part of the polycule? Because I thought he was out after the whole Arcanaeum thing?”

Sucking my lower lip between my teeth, I ponder it. “I don’t know,” I admit. “I think…I think I’ve forgiven his part in what happened. He apologised, and there wasn’t anything he could’ve done. Plus…he signed the contract.”

Whatever his motives were for doing so, he hasn’t asked to be released from it. Technically, I suppose that means we’re in a relationship, for all that we’ve never even kissed.

Lambert leans in like that’s the most interesting piece of gossip he’s heard all day. “Pierce Benjamin Theophilius Carlton signed a sex contract? I’m telling everyone I know.”

“That’shis name?” Eddy’s unladylike snort is laden with humour. “Of course it is.”

“Fuck!” Jasper curses.

I jerk my head in his direction, only relaxing when I see one of his cousins already checking over the gash in his upper arm.

A few inches to the right… My hand tightens around the pen.

“It’s arelationshipcontract,” I protest, shaking off my nerves. “It’s not just about sex. And it’s not public knowledge?—”

“I know, boss lady. I’m just teasing.”

Unfortunately, my eyes haven’t left Jasper since he was injured, and he notices before I can turn away. Something in his grin brightens as he reads the worry in my face.