Jareth peeped an eye open. “Let me sleep tonight,” he said. “I will speak with the man on the morrow.”
“I will bring him to you when you are ready,” Aidric said. “We’ll come back later to see how you are faring.”
Jareth simply lifted a hand in acknowledgment. As Aidric, Stefan, Dirk, and Britt headed out, Desdra headed in. She was carrying a tray with a cup and bowl and a few other things on it. Behind her was a servant carrying a heavy coverlet, and she had the woman put it on the bed while she set the tray down. As the servant scurried out, Desdra shook the folds out of the coverlet and draped it over Jareth.
“There,” she said. “This should keep you comfortable. I’ve brought some stew for you. You should probably eat something.”
He just lay there, looking up at her. That magnificent woman with the marvelous hair. After a moment, he held out his right hand.
“Come,” he said softly. “Sit next to me. I must tell you something.”
Desdra complied, thinking he was going to share something important with her. “Of course,” she said. “Are you in pain? I do not have anything here, but Lord Chester kept something for pain that was quite effective. He called it the healing flower. It is back at The Feast.”
Jareth shook his head. “I am not in any real pain at the moment,” he said. “But I wanted to commend you for your actions today. It was a serious situation that could have gone badly, but you kept your head. That was very helpful and I appreciate it.”
A faint flush crept into her cheeks. “To be truthful, I was scared to death,” she admitted. “But I was scared for you.”
“Me? Why?”
She eyed him, exasperated. “Because an arrow had pierced you,” she said, stating the obvious. “I thought it might kill you.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “And you were afraid for me?”
“Of course I was.”
“What would you do if I died?”
She scowled. “That is a terrible question.”
He laughed softly. “Why?” he said. “Just tell me that you would miss me. That is all I wish to hear.”
An expression of confusion rippled across her face and she pulled her hand from his. He watched, his smile fading, as she stood up and turned for the food.
“You should eat this while it is hot,” she said. “I cannot vouch for the meat in it, but I am told it is mutton. They tried to give me some kind of fish pie that smelled very strongly, so I refused it. Do you like fish?”
“Desdra,” he said slowly, “why can you not tell me that you would miss me should I die?”
She had the bowl in her hand. When she spoke, her back was to him and her head lowered. “It is a silly question.”
“Mayhap so, but answer it. Please.”
She sighed sharply. “What do you want me to say?”
“The truth.”
She considered that. Her head came up and she looked at the wall, anything but him. “I suppose…” she began, stopped, and then started again. “I suppose, if you must know, that I have never had a friend like you.”
“Oh? What would you miss about our friendship?”
She shrugged. “I would miss our conversations,” she said. “The way you like to tease me. You have become a great friend, Jareth, and I am very grateful.”
That was as close as she could come to a confession and he didn’t push her. She was being braver than he was in even voicing such a thing. Their relationship had come about so organically that it wasn’t something to be fleshed out or discussed. It simplywas. Therefore, he was careful with his next question.
“But you do not want me to be more than a friend?” he said. “If you do not think me attractive or a potential suitor, you need only say it once. I will never bring it up again.”
She still wouldn’t look at him. “That is a strange thing to say.”
“Why?”
