Syryn was still dazed from the effects of having consumed a lot of selkie blood. He involuntarily licked his lips and turned to look at the anti mage who stood at the door

Rowan was waiting for his answer.

To find Syryn in a compromising position with Riha could be excused away with the explanation that he, a weak patient, was being helped by the selkie. But such a scene coupled with the sight of Syryn's obvious hard-on was an escalation of a higher level. The mage grimly realised these facts.

His brain came back to reality and he had a short moment of complete clarity. Whether he confessed to drinking Riha's blood or letting Rowan think that he had been up to no good with the selkie, he was fucked. Now he had to decide which looked worse in Rowan's eyes - coming off as a monster or a cheater?

"Rowan, this isn't as bad as it appears," Riha spoke as it seemed like Syryn was caught by the spirit of muteness.

"Felix, please wait outside," Rowan said without turning back to speak to the newcomer who had just witnessed his potential patient getting frisky with a magical creature.

Rowan closed the door behind him and dragged a chair over. The anti mage removed his coat, hung it on the chair and then sat down. Having seated himself, the expressionless anti mage eyed the two guilty parties.

"Riha, you're the last of your kind," Rowan said in a deceptively casual tone. "So explain this to me, why are you letting Syryn feed from you without having put any precautions in place? And how many times have you two done this?" Rowan's gaze flickered to the half-demon whose hunger had taken off in fear of the anti mage. The calmer that Rowan appeared, the more dangerous he was. For what it was worth, Rowan's correct understanding of the situation meant that Syryn did not have to decide between the two evils he had been deliberating over.

"This was the first time it ever happened," Riha answered. Between Syryn and Riha, the selkie appeared less tense. "I asked Syryn to drink from me because I was hoping that it would resolve a problem I am facing. It was entirely my decision, and Syryn was just a participant on account of my request."

"Just a participant," Rowan looked at Syryn. "A very willing participant," he corrected the selkie. "Did you get what you hoped to achieve?"

"I did, but I lost it again," the selkie answered, eyes going dull.

"I don't want a repeat performance," Rowan looked between the two of them. "If I catch you drinking from his neck," he pinned a warning glare at Syryn, "I will haul Riha off to the mage hunter headquarters where he will be adequately protected from his predators and from people looking to profit from him."

"Rowan-" the selkie protested.

"Riha, please step out of the room. Syryn and I need to have a discussion on the appropriate behaviour that is expected from the guardian of the last living selkie in the world."

"But I asked for it. Rowan, you disrespect me by invalidating the weight of my decision in this matter," Riha said in a calm tone. Syryn was entirely quiet and trying to fade into the background.

The anti mage turned to the selkie. "This isn't about you or the decision you've made. This is about Syryn acting irresponsibly. He has the instincts of a demon and he could have torn your throat out if the demon had taken over him. Did you not consider the possibility of it?" Rowan did not shout, but the sting in his words came from the coldness with which he delivered them.

The half-demon was sweating in fear. He had done a bad thing. When hunger had clouded his mind, the whole thing had seemed safe. Now he knew better. Riha's spell was only powerful enough to stun him for a few seconds, not enough time for a blood loss weakened selkie to escape from a berserk demon.

"I did consider the possibility," Riha replied. "But I trust Syryn."

The trusted half-demon raised his head and gaped at Riha. Where did that come from?

"A selkie trusting its predator despite knowing just how his species was wiped out into near extinction." Rowan's words pricked its listeners in their hearts. 

"Rowan, he was in partial transformation when we first met. Syryn was still able to resist his desire to attack me. You have to understand that my trust in him is not misplaced. Syryn has more humanity in him than I've seen from most."

It was high praise from the selkie. Syryn hadn't known that Riha held him in such high regard.

The selkie's glowing words gave the anti mage pause. To Rowan, it was as strange as seeing a chicken defend the fox whose mouth had previously held the chicken's neck. He sighed and rubbed his temples. Syryn was always surprising him with new and creative problems. 

"Riha, please leave us."

Sensing the embers of Rowan's anger cooling, the selkie nodded. He left the room after one last look at Syryn whose head was down.

"Ryn," Rowan's tone was gentler now.

The half-demon raised his head to look at the anti mage. Rowan hadn't reprimanded him but it still felt like he had undergone a tongue lashing.

"I'm relieved that you're back with us."

Syryn nodded but remained wordless. He was confused. Rowan was turning him more human, more responsible, but why did it feel like he was losing himself in the process?

"Syryn, I'm sorry about what just happened. I shouldn't have lost my temper." Rowan sensed that something wasn't right with his mage.

"No, Ro, you did nothing wrong," Syryn replied. Rowan had remained civil through the whole conversation. Not once did he raise his voice, and never did he do anything that would have made Syryn or Riha feel threatened. Whatever Rowan had said to them had made sense. It was the correct thing to do on his part.

But Syryn felt constrained. He had been living his life treading the fine line between right and wrong though he mostly stayed on the right side. This was the only way he knew to live, and it worked for him. But Syryn also wanted to be good for Rowan, and he was confused.