Catli yanked his front door open before the intruder had a chance to barge in. “What can I do for you, Eshe?” Catli smiled at her, teeth bared in a subtle warning.
“I came to ask your opinion on a point of magic. A friend and I are having a debate on the proper way to channel a smaller work. Can I impose on you for a minute?” Eshe gave a too-sweet smile and tried to push her way into the front room.
He didn’t move. Not for this one. Over his corpse would he allow this detestable mage in his personal space, unless she was bleeding to death.
Eshe had been a thorn in his side since she had reached the age of majority. A fire mage of master status, at first, Catli had welcomed her as one peer to another once she had gained her stars. What he hadn’t known then, but knew without doubt now, wa
