Because of course, we’re currently leaving the place where I get to hold space for myself.
I count it as a small victory that it’s the sage and not me who finally breaksthe silence.
But what he says is, “I understand that it is through my own actions that you cannot trust me now. Until I can prove myself to you, is there anything I can do—in addition to baking bread—to make being around me easier for you?”
My brain full-on freezes.
No oneevertries to make things easier forme. That’s always my job.
But my body keeps moving, and that basic disconnect between the attempt to freeze and not freeze causes me to trip over a big branch that’s fallen in the path.
I flail for a second and hear Kovan sharply say, “Brace.”
But there’s nothing to braceon, and I hear him swear as I fall, about to land on my face—
And then Kovan catches me.
Not only does he catch me, he scoops me up in his arms.
Why in the world does a sage have the muscles to hold me so easily? Which god hates me?
(Resolve, obviously.)
I lick my lips and manage to say, “Thank you.”
Yeah, it’s a little breathy. Cut me some slack, I’m only mortal.
But so is even a sage, and Kovan’s eyes track the movement, his gaze fixing on my lips for a moment.
He swallows.
Meets my gaze.
There’s a moment where I am absolutely sure he’s about to kiss me, for real this time—
And then his golden gaze shutters.
He takes a deep breath—actually cringes—and then gently sets me down on my own feet, looking away.
It’s stupid to be so disappointed whenI am still madat him.
But Iamhurt, and I lash out, “My apologies to the mighty sage for troubling you with my scent when I didn’t ask you to save me.”
Kovan’s gaze flies back to mine. “I don’t dislike your scent, Tasa. Quite the opposite.”
...Oh.
My cheeks warm.
Well, shit. He’s trying to be careful with my boundariesbecausehe knows I’m mad at him. Even if I might kind of want him to just kiss me and pretend everything is fine between us so I don’t have to think about it, that’s not actually fair to himorme.
“AndIapologize,” Kovan says, “for being so dependent on magic that I nearly failed to save you from the fall that I distracted you into at all.”
Oh,that’swhat he meant by “brace.” He tried to catch me with magic first, falling back on a lifetime of training... that didn’t help him.
“You were still fast enough,” I tell him softly.
Kovan takes a breath and lets it out. “No.” His gaze meets mine fiercely. “Demonstrably I have not been. But Iwillbecome fast enough to keep up with you, Tasa.”
