She tilted her head and studied him. “Your aura says differently.”
Blast! He had forgotten she could read his aura, which was rather unsettling, not that he really understood what an aura revealed. “What color is it today?”
“Grey, for one, which I believe is from being tired.” Her lips quirked. “You were out late last night and drank ale.”
“Yes, well not as much as my friends claim,” he defended.
Lady Antonia nodded. “I also see dark yellow, not the yellow of before, which usually means a stressful situation, and finally, murky white, the color of uncertainty and fear.”
Perhaps Lady Antonia wasn’t for him if she’d always be able to read him so well. Though, this was also the first time in his life that he had ever wanted to hide anything from anyone.
“The fact that you have three colors means there are still changes. Is that what worries you?”
Philip nearly snorted. If only he could be concerned with simple changes about to happen in his life. Unfortunately, his recent change was more worrisome, but did he dare tell her what had happened? His friends had laughed at him, but Philip still remembered the pain and how his hand had changed.
“I likely need more sleep.” Philip pushed his fingers through his hair. “Perhaps I did drink more than I realized.” He had to believe that was the case. “I am certain that all will be back as it should tomorrow, and I will once again be yellow and orange with a hint of pink.” He truly hoped that was the case.
Something had deeply disturbed Lord Chedworth. It wasn’t just his aura that had changed, but a storm of anxiety, trepidation and dread swirled within. Antonia wanted to pull away, leave him, but she couldn’t while he was so distressed.
This was also the first time she’d not experienced peace in his presence. He had been her calm, but it was the opposite today.
Oh, she wished that she could help Chedworth, but if he would not tell her what he feared, she could be of no assistance.
“Have you found a veiling spell?” he asked.
Antonia blew out a sigh. “Nothing so far.”
They turned and started to walk back to the garden.
He offered his arm, but as soon as her hand touched him, Antonia was taken aback by visions of a hairy hand as fear and panic assailed her body.
Had she been wearing gloves, the images and emotions would not have been so clear. Such was not the case now, and Antonia quickly realized that Chedworth was far more unsettled by earlier events than he was even letting on.
It also took everything Antonia had within her not to yank her hand back from his. She’d not told him the rest of her power for fear that he might not come near her again. But she also had to ask and hoped that he answered truthfully.
“What did Mr. Jourdain mean by a hairy hand and long nails?” She hoped that her question was put in a curious and conversational tone, but terror assailed his body and then hers at the question, though she tried desperately not to show a reaction.
“I am certain it is nothing.” He pulled away, stepped back and then gestured for her to enter the garden path ahead of him. The relief from no longer experiencing the intensity of his emotions was near overwhelming. She still experienced them, but they were quieted without touch.
“Are you certain?” she asked. “He seemed to think something occurred.”
“He did not believe me,” Chedworth answered as he rubbed the back of his neck, a clear sign that something had occurred that disturbed him deeply.
He stopped and turned to her again. “Do you promise not to tell anyone?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“I am also certain it was my imagination, but the memory still lingers.”
“It is likely if you had enjoyed more ale than one should.” She needed to remain undisturbed or Chedworth may not tell her what had really frightened him.
“When we were riding back from Bocka Morrow, I was looking up at the stars, enjoying the night when I experienced a terrible cramping in my hand and fingers. When I looked, the back of my hand was covered in hair and the nails had also grown longer. I called out to Cassian and Amcaster, but by the time they reached my side, my hand was back to normal.”
Antonia tried to school her thoughts and features, but alarm swept through her body.
Chedworth had not been in the garden. Had he?
“Are you certain it was only ale you drank?” she asked.
