I stamped it with the Agro family seal—a golden gear intertwined with a wheat stalk—and handed it to a messenger owl that looked appropriately intimidated by my "Big Boss" energy.
"A teleportation circle," a low, silky voice purred from the shadows of the balcony. "How... ambitious. You're opening a door to the world, Seraphine. Are you sure you're ready for the 'uninvited guests' that usually follow?"
I didn't even have to turn around. The Soul-Tether gave a warm, possessive little tug at my chest. Malphas was leaning against the stone archway, his dark silk tunic fluttering in the wind. He looked entirely too comfortable for a man who was technically a "Consultant" on a leash.
"It's called Economic Diversification, Malphas," I snapped, though my heart did a traitorous little skip at the sound of his voice. "And my security protocols are top-notch. I have a Divine Knight, a Master Alchemist, and apparently, a King of the Under-Realm who won't stop breathing down my neck."
