12
One month later
Aeric walked into the library his suite of rooms and tossed his tactical vest on an armchair. He’d expected Mere Marie or Cassie to be here, coaching Alice. Memory spells, flashcards with information about people she knew, all kinds of things. Alice, good sport that she was, had been working her tail off to relearn a lifetime of lost experiences.
Didn’t make it hurt less, every single time Aeric talked to her. The simplest joke or reference, or even just looking at her with longing, and Alice flushed with guilt. He was longing plenty these days, too, because he couldn’t exactly sweep his mate off her feet and take her to bed. He was a handsome, charming stranger to her still, nothing more.
It ripped his heart out of his chest, without fail.
“Alice,” he called across
