“Not raclette?”
“No, I... I mean, I’m sure it was the best raclette around.”
“Raine?”
“Yes?”
“I know that the village children are expecting chocolate. But Leopold was in charge of it.”
I’m biting the inside of my cheek. Leo’s been so supportive and kind to me. And now I’ve made him feel awkward or bad about what he was doing.
“Raine?” Kieren’s tone drops as low as Roark’s. “What’s that look on your face?”
My sister and the apartment gals have told me over and over that my facial expressions give my thoughts away. That I’m transparent. But I’ve never had a guy tell me that. Not once. “It’s nothing.”
Kieren stops and takes both my hands in his. “No. What is it?”
“I... I just hope I haven’t hurt Leo’s feelings. That’s...” That’s the last thing I wanted to do. Leo’s becoming like the grandfather I never had. “Leo’s important to me, and the thought of hurting his feelings is horrible.”
“I’m sure you haven’t hurt his feelings.” Kieren kisses the top of my forehead.
“You’re sure?”
“Leopold is tougher than you think.” Kieren walks me to the foyer stairs. The curtain over the portal is drawn shut. “I have an email to send before dinner. Do you want to sit with me in the den? I believe your book is still there.” He smiles. Yesterday, Evander took it out of my hands, placed it on the sofa next to me, and made stars burst behind my eyelids.
“I want to go talk to Leo. See you at dinner?”
“I will definitely see you at dinner.” His lips hit mine, and watching him walk into the den, I almost change my mind.
I find Leo in the kitchen, directing the kitchen staff.
“Miss Raine! I have done some research on American Halloween. It will be a fun project!” A stack of printouts flutter in his hand. “Look at all the things I’ve found. There’s even a store in the village. I would like to get some things today. They’re closed tomorrow.”
Relief fills me. Not only is he not upset but he seems thrilled. “I could go for you?”
“Oh, that would be wonderful. Let me find Percy.”
61
ROARK
Istare across the table at Kieren and Evander. I seem to be the only one having an issue with the empty chair across from me. “Where the fuck is she?”
“Leopold said she went into town on an errand for him,” Evander says.
“Before dinner?” I want to rip out his throat.
“She was afraid she had upset Leopold.” Kieren sips his drink.
“Leopold?” I’m up as I say it, then through the butler’s pantry and into the kitchen. “Leopold,” I shout.
He rounds the corner. “Sir?”
“Why did you send Raine out unprotected?”
“She’s with Percy.”
“Percy!” The little male has been with Cloud Rift for thirty years. He’s loyal but not able to protect Raine from a Firested attack. I haven’t even seen him shift in the last ten years. But when he did, his dragon had shrunk to the size of a Great Dane.
