My brows rose. “Witch? What witch?”
Fran handed me a pair of matching heels. “I don’t know her by name. He’s only mentioned her in passing. She lived on the edge of the forest for a while. Supposedly, she moved into the city, though. It’s for the best though, she was not good for him.”
My mind whirled at the new information. Blackthorn had been in love with a witch. A witch who used to live in the candy forest but now lives in the city. It couldn’t possibly be? No. It couldn’t. Could it?
“What’s that face about?” Fran’s brows furrowed. “I wouldn’t worry about her. He doesn’t harbor any lingering feelings for the witch, if that is what you’re worried about. I assure you, the master is completely devoted to you.”
I nodded, not knowing how to respond to her reassurance. I didn’t know if I wanted Blackthorn to be devoted to me. On one hand, it would make my gaining his trust easier. On theother, it made my stomach twist into knots. I’d be playing on his emotions even more than I thought.
“Come along, mistress,” Fran ushered me out of the closet to the bedroom door. “Would you like me to walk you to dinner?”
My skin flushed at the thought of seeing Blackthorn after what had happened in the garden. How did I face him? What did I say? How would he act?
The coward in me wanted to opt out of dinner all together and hide in the bedroom room. Then Blackthorn would know the almost kiss affected me, and I didn’t know which was worse. Facing him or him knowing I was avoiding him?
Sucking in a deep breath, I shook my head. “No, I can make it on my own. Go have your supper.”
Fran gave me a knowing look before inclining her head. “Very well, I’ll come back to help you undress after dinner.”
It wasn’t until after she had left that I realized Fran had never told me the loophole she had found. Shaking the thought away for later, it took me several minutes to gather myself before I finally had the courage to walk out of the bedroom and to the dining room. My feet stalled at the doorway. Blackthorn already sat in his place at the head of the table.
His dark gaze lifted at my appearance and my breath caught. I swallowed and licked my lips, forcing my feet to move, one step and then the other until I was at my side of the table, Blackthorn’s gaze on me the whole time. When I glanced down, I frowned. My side hadn’t been set, the chair not where it usually sat.
“Mara,” Blackthorn’s deep voice permeated my very being. My head turned slowly toward the head of the table. He nodded toward the chair next to him, a place set for me. “Please, sit with me.”
Chapter 21
Everything froze. My hand halfway to my chair, my heart in my throat. I blinked and, after I sucked in a breath, the world moved once more.
Hiding my sweating palms in my skirts, I made my way to the seat to his right side. The implications were not lost on me as I forced one foot and then the other in front of me.
When I arrived, Blackthorn stood, making me step back. When he pulled my chair out for me, my shoulders sagged in relief.
Hoping Blackthorn hadn’t noticed my nervousness, I swept my skirts into my hands and sat. I hid my hands in my lap, stiffening as he pushed my chair in for me. Fingers brushed along the side of my neck, tickling my hair and making my breath catch before they were gone.
I stared at my plate all the while watching Blackthorn move back to his seat out of the corner of my eye. His gaze laid heavily on me, making my cheeks burn and my pulse race.
When Balyn walked into the room, I was more than eager for the distraction. “Hey, how are you? I haven’t had a chance to come to the kitchens lately.”
“I’m well. We miss you.” Balyn grinned at me, then his eyes fell on Blackthorn and his smile flattened. He cleared his throat and held out the wine bottle. “Would you like something to drink?”
“I'll take that.” Blackthorn snatched up the bottle before Balyn could pour me a glass. He turned to me, holding my glass as he poured the wine.
I gave Balyn a tight smile. He winked at me before heading back to the kitchen. When he was gone, I turned to Blackthorn with a scowl, all previous nervousness gone. “You didn’t have to be so rude.”
Blackthorn’s brows lifted. “He was flirting with you.”
He offered me the glass, and I snatched it from his hand, making sure not to brush his fingers.
“No, he wasn’t. He was just being nice.” I sipped from my glass, turning my face away from him.
The sound of Blackthorn’s chuckle did something visceral in my body that I didn’t know how to explain. “So quick to defend someone you don’t even know.”
I sat my glass down with a loud clink, eyes narrowing on him. “I know Balyn.”
Blackthorn watched me, a small smile on his lips as he leaned back in his seat, hands laced over his stomach, his black shirt straining against his muscles. “Do you now?”
The confidence in his voice made my answer come out slowly and hesitant. “Yes?”
