A Power Unbound (The Last Binding, #3)

by Freya Marske

“Name and year and Prime Minister.” “Asquith. Nineteen-nine. And my name’s Julius Caesar.” Jack lifted a hand, hiding the shape of his mouth. “And mine?” Alan automatically delivered one of the worst profanities he knew. “My lord,” he added.

When all the pieces had been held up to the light, brushed down thoroughly, and put together in a shape that made sense, the Tale of the Three Families and the Last Contract went something like this:

“I will skin him,” snarled Violet, flinging the letter down. “Both of them. All of them. I’m going to set their houses on fire, with them inside, and I’m going to keep them alive by magic until they’re no more than pieces of twisted charcoal.” Alan looked at Maud, then wondered why he’d bothered. Maud was not Robin, who could be relied upon to gently tug his partner back from flights of fancy. Maud had a look on her face like she would cheer Violet on and then make cheese toast over the embers.