Excerpt: Unknown

Dav looked Kar up and down and then gave Andri a dark look. "The High Mage's pet?" He didn't wait for an answer. He went back to using the bar to pry the window open, muttering under his breath as he worked. "The pet to the pet of the bastard..."

The incubus was watching them both with wide, bright eyes. "You have to get out of here now."

"I know," Andri assured him, as calmly as he could. He finished working the feeling back into his hands and then stepped forward into Kar's space, unable to stand the distance between them. "You-"

"You cannot make that decision," Kar cut him off. His eyes narrowed and for the first time, Andri saw the anger that must lurk beneath the surface. "I am not yours to free, Andri."

"You're not his, either," Andri reminded him. He reached a hand out, an offering and not an order. "It's your decision, and it always has been. You owed your loyalty to Ess, not to the position of High Mage."

Kar backed away, tucking his hands behind his back as if afraid Andri would grab him by force. "I already made that decision. I owed my loyalty to Essh, but I promised it to the High Mage. To Nex."

"You're both bloody ridiculous," Dav muttered. He'd given up on going out the window, though he still had the crowbar in his hand.