I looked down. Thalor was sitting on a low stone, Lyra still fast asleep in his sling, but his hand was wrapped firmly around my ankle—right on top of his indigo mark.
"Really? Right here in front of the workers?" I whispered, smirking down at him.
"I am just ensuring… that it is still there," he replied with a straight face, his violet eyes twinkling.
"Yeah, well, it's not like marks can move. You've got to quit it, okay? If Noah sees you 'checking' me again, he's going to start a wrestling match in the middle of my foyer."
He nodded, twisting his lip a little regretfully.
As for the 'marking' and the 'ruts'? Yeah, that was on indefinite suspension.
