Treacherous relief threatens to flatten me, even as I’m not on my feet. And then I realize he’s asked me something. “I… ah, I’m sorry?”
“What are you looking at? Do I have something untucked?”
The absurdity of the inquiry stalls me—like he’s worried his britches are on backwards? And as he waits for a response, his brows rise, and his head tilts to one side.
“Have you gone daft in the night, then?”
“Yes, I have,” I whisper to myself. Then more loudly, I say, “Nothing untucked, no. I’m just surprised you’re still here.”
“Where else would I be in this storm.” He strides for the door. “In any event, I’ll be back in a couple of hours. You rest.”
“I’m not tired—”
“Then you’ll stay here because you’re not stupid and you know it’s the safe thing to do.” With a quick twist of his torso, he glances back at me. “Did you really think I’d left you? Without saying goodbye.”
I clear my throat. “Oh, no. Not at all—”
“I won’t leave without telling you.” He taps the heavy metal bolting mechanism. “How would you be able to lock yourself in?”
As if that’s the only consideration. “Well… thank you.”
Our eyes meet, and I find myself holding my breath for some sort of… anything from him. No, that’s a lie. I want something specific, some proclamation that what happened between us is the sort of rare thing he’ll hold in his mind, too. When he says nothing, I think now would be a good time totip his proverbial hand by dropping his gaze down my body or giving me that knowing half smile of his. Or saying… something, anything—
Merc pulls back the latch and taps it again. “I don’t leave till I hear this get thrown.”
He’s out in the blink of an eye, closing the door behind him.
Only the thought of him waiting on the far side gets me to move, and I shift my legs to the floor—
The door opens again, and he brings in a tray of food. “She brought this for you. From the kitchen—”
“The maid who sings?” I make sure the sheeting stays wrapped around me. “Is she out there?”
“No, she hurried off.” Merc puts the food on the table. “But she told me to tell you she tested this all. It’s safe.”
The same bread, carefully torn into bite-size pieces, the same refreshing drink—but there are two tankards and enough of everything for both him and me.
“There’s some for you here,” I point out.
“I’m not hungry. And anyway, I’m more of a meat eater.” His eyes skate around the room, and then linger at the ceiling as if he’s trying to measure the rainfall by what it sounds like on the roof. Finally, he nods at the latch. “Remember.”
“How could I forget,” I mutter as the door closes once more.
Standing there, I wait for another delivery from him. A second tray of food and drink. A stolen pony.
Nothing.
I go over to the latch, and shove it back into place. “Happy now?”
He doesn’t reply to me, but I hear his heavy boots walking away. Pent up, I do some striding of my own, taking a little pass around the room. I end up back in front of the tray, and I picture the young maid scurrying up here with the nourishment, perhaps because she waited until that cook either passed out or went after someone else.
I eat not because I’m hungry, but because of the risks she took to bring me the food.
At least the bread still tastes good, and the drink sizzles through me, waking me up properly. The latter carries a complication as a side effect. I already sense the walls closing in on me, and the extra energy makes me feel even more trapped. But then I think of the man in the top hat, and all the others like him or worse. As much as I want to rail against Merc and his stupid bolt rule, he’s right, this is a dangerous place—
Knock. Knock.
“Now what.” I glare at the door. “Have you forgot something—”
