“You don’t believe mine?” Willo demanded.
“I do,” Sterling said. “It’s mostly a formality, but sometimes they can trace the magic back to the source.”
“Really?” Willorunia asked.
Sterling nodded, eyeing her closely. “While I wait for their response, I’m going to head into town to speak with Ezzila.”
“Hm. Good luck getting her to answer the door,” Willo said.
Sterling and I shared a perturbed look.
“It’s cold. Let’s go inside,” I said.
I gave Willo her jar of cateyes before she left, and then I helped Jasmine with the rest of the evening, checking in guests and serving the evening meal and drink. It was busier than I’d ever seen it as the owner. When the night finally wound down, Jasmine pulled open the key drawer to reveal the barren slots. “Empty again,” she said. “Looks like you’ll have to get in bed with the Force.”
“You didn’t save him a room?!” I asked.
“Don’t act like you don’t want to share a bed with him,” Jasmine teased.
“I don’t!”
She shrugged. “Oh well,” she said just as the door blew open and Sterling entered the room in a whirl of snowflakes.
He pulled his crimson scarf down to reveal his beautiful smile. Snow dusted his dark hair and broad shoulders, but hedidn’t seem bothered by it as he strolled up to the counter. “Just the innkeepers I was looking for,” he said. “Can I ask you both a question?”
“Sure,” Jasmine said.
“Would it be all right if I took Cassian into town tomorrow? I want to bring him along when I question Ezzila, because he knows more about magic than I do.”
“You didn’t go today? What have you been doing?” I asked.
“Making copies of Willorunia’s drawing and sending the original to Ladiall,” he said. “There wasn’t enough time left to make the trip to Dreckle.”
I withheld a sigh, knowing he was right. I didn’t want to spend the entire night and day with him, because I actuallydidwant that. Badly.
“Ezzila?” Jasmine asked. “Is that what the diagnosis told you?”
“No, but I can’t leave any stone unturned. I might as well look into it instead of waiting for confirmation, right?” Sterling asked.
“Right,” I said. “Can you watch the inn tomorrow, Jaz?”
“Of course, Cass! You deserve a day off,” she said with a wink.
“Thank you,” I said miserably. It would be more exhausting than a day on.
“Of course. I’m ready for things to go back to normal,” she said.
“Me too,” I said with a sigh.
“I think I’ll turn in for the night, then. We should be up bright and early tomorrow,” Sterling said.
“I’m afraid we’re out of rooms again tonight. You’ll have to keep sharing with Cass,” Jasmine said.
“Oh…” Sterling watched her, deliberately avoiding eye contact with me for a painful couple of seconds. “Is that all right with you, Cassian?” he asked, finally fixing his beautiful gray eyes on me.
“We have no choice. Go ahead and get to sleep. I’ll be there in a minute,” I said, nodding toward the door behind me.
“All right. Goodnight, Cassian. Night, Jasmine,” he said, rounding the counter to disappear behind the office door.
