“Damn right we will.” Rowan smirked at me. “And gods have mercy on the fool who dares try to hurt you.”
***
“Open.” I waved a hand in front of the closed door. A beat passed, then another, before I took a deep breath and concentrated harder on the wooden frame. “You will open riiiiight now.”
It didn’t open.
“Hmm. I guess I can remove telekinesis from my list of possible powers.”
“What do ya think you’re doing, little treasure?”
With a start, I focused on the corner of the room. Shadows swirled before topaz eyes glowed within the dark.
“Nothing,” I said, dropping my hand back to my side. “Not trying to practice magic or anything.”
More of Rowan took shape, and soon, he was in his signature pose against the wall. “Telekinesis? The ability to move objects with your mind? You believe you may have it?”
“You don’t have to sound so amused,” I mumbled. “That’d be a cool power. Just think of how more efficient I’d be in the kitchen. Able to put muffins in the oven, wash dishes, and whip up more batter all at the same time. I could even take a coffee break while still being productive.”
I envisioned brooms and mops that moved and bopped around while cleaning the floors. Plates that washed and dried themselves.
Rowan tipped his head back and shook with a soft laugh. “All the things you could do with a power like that… bringing your enemies to heel, controlling armies… and your mind settles on using it to help you bake muffins. Why am I not surprised?”
“Hey, magical labor is nothing to stick your nose up at. Think of all the time I’d save.”
“You really are pure,” he said, staring at me with a quiet intensity. “I think Reign’s right. Since the first time I saw you, I felt you were special.”
I blew out a breath and sat on the edge of his bed. “Not sure I believe it. I’ve never been special a day in my life.”
Rowan sat beside me. “You are to me. You always have been.”
“Even when you blew magic dust in my face to knock me out and kidnapped me?”
“Even then.” He smiled, though his eyes kept the same intensity. “I’d burn the world for you, little treasure. Kill anyone who tried to take you from me.”
My heart skipped a beat. “I don’t want you to kill anyone, Ro.”
“What about stabbing them?”
“No stabbing either.” I feigned a sigh. My morally gray hottie. “The threat to confiscate your daggers still stands.”
“Take this one, then.” Rowan withdrew something from his cloak. A familiar blade in a black sheath. “Found it in the bedside table, collecting dust. I gave it to you for a reason. To protect you. Just don’t poke your eye out.”
With a wobble in my chin, I accepted the dagger. It was only five or six inches long, the perfect size for me to carry. He’d given it to me last summer when we’d been deep in the dark wood, surrounded by monstrous demons. The thought of actually using it amped up my anxiety, so I’d tucked it away into a drawer for safekeeping.
“If you recall, pointy objects and I don’t exactly get along. I’m much safer with it in the drawer.”
“I disagree.” Rowan pulled me against him and dropped his face to my neck. “With your protection stone broken, I want you to carry this dagger on you at all times.”
Warmth filled my veins. “Okay. But when Maddox gets mad, you’ll have to take the blame and face his wrath.”
“Captain Glutton doesn’t scare me.” He grinned. “If he charges at me, I’ll simply throw a muffin at him.”
“Brave of you to think that would stop him.”
“He’d stop to eat it, giving me plenty of time to make my escape.”
I laughed and tucked the dagger into the small satchel on my belt. “When you first gave it to me, you said it was important to you.”
