“Apparently.”Ignatius’s gaze met his fully, and Erik was sure his own discomfort—and suspicion—was plainly visible.
“Great,” he said, and watched Ignatius cover the tray.The sorcery under the large silver dome would keep everything fresh, crisp or soft, and at optimal temperature.
God—any god—forbid aliraishould have to nibble soggy bread.Or get food poisoning.
Ignatius gave him another sideways look, one too worried to be properly amused.“My thoughts exactly.I shall continue the attempt, but it may become necessary to leave rather quickly.”
Thatwas concerning, too.They could hold this temple almost indefinitely, but their potential in her pretty rooms needed the inoculation of the Flame sooner rather than later.Her dreams would intensify now that she was exposed to active sorcery, and while the god’s madness wouldn’t brush her, contamination or other illness could very well sneak through.
“I’ll keep my go-bag packed,” Erik muttered, picking up the tray.
“Do that,” Ignatius said, equably, and glided for the sink to begin washing up.
* * *
“Come on in.”Theliraiwas at the windows, inspecting a grey afternoon—sleet trying mightily to morph into snow, but unless it warmed a few notches, tiny ice-freighted particles would keep spatter-rattling disconsolately at glass and stone.She turned, studying him somberly, and maybe Jake had said something right at breakfast, because she looked…
Well, she looked reasonably relaxed.Her eyes still held shadows and the bruised half-moons of sleeplessness underneath were pronounced, but her mouth tilted up at the corners and she didn’t hug herself, or flinch when he set the tray down.
“Oh, hey.It’s you.”She even sounded pleased.Well, she was probably lonely, with her world turned upside down and confined to a frontline temple’s substandardliraim.“I was expecting the old guy.”
“Father will visit you at dinner, he said.”Erik hurried to add more, in case she didn’t get that they were on call for her and not the other way ’round.“Unless you want me to summon him now.”
“God, no.”Her shudder looked only half theatrical.“Where’s Jake?”
Did she prefer their Younger already?It was only to be expected.“He’s on guard outside the temple, but I can get him in if?—”
“Nope.”A quick, graceful shake of her pretty head, dark hair rippling and bouncing as she moved.“I was just curious.Unless you’d like to escape?”
Was she asking if he foundhercompany upsetting?Wonders never ceased.Then again, she was probably searching for any habit, routine, or certainty.It occurred to Erik that she might like a television, though a laptop was entirely out of the question.
At least, for now.“No ma’am.Was outside all morning.”
“Shopping?”Bright, polite interest lit her eyes, and it wasn’t fair.She was a Dreamer, of course, and the power and scale of their gifts shone through them, especially after the Flame’s burnishing.
Even without it she was gorgeous, and he was just a big dumb brute.Killing the beasts, beautiful.They’re weak in the light, but the chance to get a mouthful of you is powerful motivation.One he could, after all, relate to.“Not precisely.”
She waited, crossing her arms defensively after all, cupping sharp elbows in soft palms.
“It’s winter,” he said, finally.“When the sunshine’s weak, some of the shadowbeasts can come out to play.If there’s something they want badly enough.”
“Meaning me.”Her chin rose slightly, she studied him from top to toe, and suddenly there wasn’t enough air in the room.Strangely enough, she didn’t seem to be having any trouble breathing, not like her shock-laced gasping the other night.
“Meaning you.”What else could he say?At least he didn’t sound like a squeaky preteen babbling incoherently at the prettiest creature on earth.
Or at least he hoped he didn’t.
“But they didn’t know about me before you guys found me?”
She was a smart cookie, all right.“You probably avoided the worst of them with low-level precognition.”It was just barely possible, he supposed, and the thought of what could have happened to an unprotected potential—tothisunprotected woman—threatened to turn his guts into an ice-lake.“Maybe you want to talk about this after lunch?”
“Think it’ll ruin my appetite?”A shadow of pained amusement filled those pretty dark-blue eyes.
Erik forced his throat to work, his tone to stay level and flat.“Don’t want to take the chance.”
“I don’t think my appetite could get worse.But if it makes you upset?—”
“No ma’am.”She thoughthe’dget upset?It was an exotic idea, almost laughable, and he dropped his chin, staring at the hardwood floor and the antique, threadbare throw rugs so she wouldn’t see the stupid smile threatening to twitch his lips.“Just want you to be comfortable.”
