“What power?” she scoffed. “You broke me as neatly as a twig. Just as you intended to.”
“And you reach right into my chest and wrap your witch’s fingers around the pipe that carries the blood from my heart. You squeeze till my knees want to buckle. Till my head spins and I would take aim at anyone, not even recognizing whether it’s a friend or enemy.”
She put a small hand on his chest. “Would that I could.”
“You can and do.”
“I’m so scared for her.”
“Why? You say she’s even more captivating than you. I can’t imagine what a girl like that can do to a man. Linc has been unalterable. He hires out. He sends the money off. He hires out. He sends the money off. That drive has been unstoppable for all the years I’ve known him. Now he is flat on the side of the hill, watching a school. No one is paying him and no one will. I’m the one that has kept him in treasure so sweet most men beg for a chance to crew with us, and he as good as cursed me into a black hole for interrupting him on the hillside. What kind of a girl makes a merc-warrior lie on the cold ground for hours, just waiting and watching? There is no one in that school that could stop Larsinc. No one on that whole world could. What in all the realms is he doing out there?”
“I don’t know. What is he doing?”
“He’s waiting. I just don’t know why.”
“Maybe you should take me there, so I can ask him. Then we’ll both know.”
Tok chuckled. “No, but I’ll ask him again. In time.”
“At least he’s not taken her in a fit of rage. That’s something.”
“I’ve never known him to succumb to fits of rage. And he didn’t appear at risk for that when I saw him.”
She settled into the linens and brushed her lips over his skin. “Thank you,” she said, putting a hand on his arm. “For not letting me spiral farther into fear and despair. I could not seem to control those feelings.”
“I understand it well. When my brother was taken, there were many nights I couldn’t eat or sleep.”
“How did you get through it?”
“I convinced myself that it would be a mistake to destroy my strength. I knew he might need it.”
She nodded. “That’s good advice. I’ll try to take it.”
