Sky walked through the front door as I made my way down the stairs and into the sitting room. Col sat lazily on the gray velvet chair in the corner, reading a black leather-bound book. His wet hair lay draped over his shoulders.
“What happened to you?” Sky asked, face full of concern.
I shook my head. “I’m fine, just tired—I used a lot of magic today.”
“Have you been in the sun all day?” she asked. “You look likeyou have sun exhaustion.” Sky gestured to the sofa. “Sit, let me look you over.”
“You’re a healer?” I sank into the fabric. Col looked up from the book, but hurried back to the pages when our eyes met.
“Not quite.” She placed a hand on my head, and we both jerked back.
The buzz of magic humming from her touch was unexpected. It was familiar, but foreign, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on the darkness that coursed through me. She eyed me warily and looked to Col; I couldn’t read her expression.
“Sorry—I should have warned you,” Sky went on. “Let me get some aloe for your skin, it’ll help with the heat and tenderness.”
Across the room, I found Col already watching me. Looking away, I pretended to busy myself with a rogue piece of yarn on my knitted shawl. It was irritating how often he caught me stealing glances.
“Okay, so you should keep this on until the stinging subsides, and you definitely need to stay out of direct sunlight for a few days.” She handed me a jar of green goo.
“That’s not going to work. I’m up at the seeps this week. If you have access to zinc, I’ll use that.” My mother used the thick cream to protect her skin in the garden during the day.
“You’re in the townhouse until she says otherwise,” Col grumbled and slammed the book closed. “There’s no use having you out there until your skin heals.” He set the book down on the table. “And I’ll be returning with you from now on.”
“She’s not even a healer, what does she know?” My eyes darted to Sky. “Sorry, I didn’t?—”
She held up her hand. “Don’t worry about it—you’re right, but Idohave eyes.” Sky shot a look at Col. “Unlike other people around here. Someone should’ve brought you back the minute your skin started turning pink.”
“I’m fine,” I protested. “I’ve worked in the sun more hours than I did today.”
“Have you though?” she pressed.
In Rivale, I’d spent most of my time in the garden at night or early in the morning. During the day, I always had coverage under the awnings at the market.
“Fine,” I conceded, “but at least bring me a bucket of gravel to work on while I’m stuck inside.”
12
RYDER
The air in the room was lighter than usual as the breeze from the ocean blew through and temporarily cleared away the impending promise of death. Even the worn pits in the chair’s cushion held more bounce than I remembered. I bit into the handheld pie expecting berry filling, but was disappointed by the sourness of the diced green apples hidden within. Draven knew it was my least favorite fruit, yet had handed me the pastry with a smile.
“The repairs, how are they coming along?” My father’s voice was raspy. “Has Elowen been helping?”
“No, she only seems to muck things up.” I put the bitter snack down on the table at my side. “But not to worry—I’ve resolved the issue myself.”
With a hazy stare, he made a silent command for further information on the matter.
“Well, it was actually Audryn who found the solution,” I started, but was quickly interrupted.
“Are you so incompetent that you needed to seek advice from afemale?” He pushed back on trembling elbows andattempted to sit up in bed. “How many other sensitive matters have you disclosed to this woman?”
If it hadn’t been for her, I’d still be floundering with castle repairs. Had there not been an attack on the ship and the barrels lost to the sea, we would’ve had the resources to patch the cracks.
“She is my mated.” I stood and went to the door, not wanting to take another verbal lashing.
My mother’s head lifted from the book she held, her expression hopeful. “She is?”
“Foolish boy,” my father interjected, “you wouldn’t know your mate if she was standing directly in front of you. She is nothing but a tavern whore.”
