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Magiere scooted forward and wrapped herself around him, flesh to flesh, and held him. He understood, but it made her feel no better for having forced it upon him.
"And I swear," she whispered in his ear, "once we learn what we can for me, we'll hurry north for your mother."
She pulled back enough to look into his sad but resolved eyes. Although she spoke calmly, the scope of their impending journey left her feeling small and lost. He was about to answer when the thud of a door and ru
"The i
Leesil shifted her out of his lap and reached for his breeches as he swung his legs over the bed's side.
"No," he said. "It's probably-"
The little room's door burst open and slammed against the wall.
"Magiere… Leesil! I'm coming with you!" Wy
The instant the door struck the wall, Wy
All her excitement drained away.
Leesil clutched a blanket as he grabbed for his breeches, his wiry torso dark gold in the candlelight. Startled, Magiere jerked the blanket back over her own specterlike body. The blanket snapped from Leesil's hand, and he lost his grip on the trousers, as well. His amber eyes widened, and Wy
Leesil stood before her, stark naked.
"Oh…" Wy
The door recoiled from the wall and struck her shoulder, and Wy
Wy
"Forgetful gods, Wy
With a sudden inhalation, Wy
"Get out!" Magiere snarled.
Wy
When she turned about to peek between her fingers, Chap sat before the closed door. His translucent blue eyes were filled with something akin to an elder's disappointment. Wy
"You should have warned me," she said.
Chap cocked his head, unblinking. His expression was too much like that of an old master sage waiting for a slow pupil to see the obvious answer to a stupid question.
Wy
Chap grunted and licked his nose.
"Oh, be quiet," Wy
Leesil belted on his breeches and pulled his shirt over his head. "Well, now neither of us has any secrets from Wy
"You knew she was coming," Magiere said in the same biting tone she'd used on Wy
Leesil saw the accusing wrinkle of Magiere's brow as her own white shirt dropped around her neck. It was difficult to decide which response would spare him the worst of her coming assault. An uncovered lie would be dangerous later, but so was the truth in the moment.
Looking at Magiere's unca
As much as Leesil adored her challenging nature, and even goaded it at times to watch her smolder, this wasn't the time for another clash with Magiere. And worse, with the lingering memory of her pressed against him, he couldn't think of a convincing lie.
"Yes, I knew," he admitted. "I gave Wy
"Necklace? What necklace? Leesil, what did you?"
"I took it from Sapphire's body before we burned her corpse in Bela. We've a long way to go, and we're not going to get there on your bad temper and my charm."
He jerked the door open before she could come at him again.
Chap sat before the open door, his tail thumping. Wy
Her little hands slid down from her eyes and she peeked up at Leesil, her olive cheeks flushed, and she covered her face again.
"You two get in here," Leesil ordered.
Chap trotted in, and, at the sight of Magiere's stern expression, he slipped past the travel chest and out of the way. Wy
"I am so truly sorry," she whispered.
Magiere crossed her arms. Leesil tensed as he shut the door, waiting to see if she would continue with him or turn her ire elsewhere.
"What's this nonsense about coming with us?" she snapped at Wy
Leesil and Magiere had been well paid for their services. Wy
"Domin Tilswith will go in my place," Wy
"You're not coming with us," Leesil cut in, astonished. Wy
The young sage stood silent. With only a brief hesitation, she frowned, pulled a pouch from her robe's pocket, and handed it to him.
Leesil looked into it and found a fistful of coins, half gold and half silver, and mostly sovereigns. It was more than enough to see them through the coming seasons, or so he hoped.
"I received a good price for it-and I am coming with you," Wy
"I doubt it was his idea," Magiere scoffed.
"We have other more immediate plans," Leesil said. "And when we do turn toward the elven territory, it may well be winter. Wy
Wy
"And how will you get your answers?" she asked. "Do you speak the elven language? Does Magiere?" Wy
Leesil's a
"And still," Wy