“Iamserious,” Ardruna says. “Give it to Roane. Only Roane can wrangle magical books, being the designated librarian.”
“You make it sound complicated.”
“Well, it isn’t an easy task. We’ve tried helping on occasion, but it’s magic we don’t possess.”
“Do people often drop off magical books here?”
“Often?” Ardruna barks a laugh. “No. We’ve just been here for a very long time.”
I sigh. “I need to get back home.”
“Didn’t you hear us earlier?” She gives a slow blink, “You can’t leave. You’re staying with us.”
“So what are you saying? I’ll stay here until I die? My family is out there, waiting for me, Eiras?—”
“Eiras?” Roane’s voice is dark and raspy. He approaches and leans against a column, folding those muscular arms over his chest, no sign of his earlier panic in his expression. “Who is Eiras?”
“My brother.”
“Ah.” His chin dips, his long dark hair sliding forward to hide his gaze. He’s braided it again, I notice, but the fine strands keep escaping.
I look away with an effort. The soup in the pot has turned into a sludge, cold and unappetizing. Yet I make myself lift the pot, bring it to my lips, and take a few sips of the congealing broth.
He’s still watching me, his gaze intent as I put the pot down, icy gray blazing under his lashes.
Slowly, he pushes off the pillar and approaches, his boot soles whispering on the floor. He crouches down beside me, gaze raking over me, as if I’m an animal he unexpectedly encountered inside his home.
We’re quiet for long moments.
Then he asks, “Are you going to eat that?”
Startled, I shake my head and lift the pot for him to take.
He grabs it and lifts it to his mouth, and I can’t look away as he drinks the broth, his throat working with every swallow. Once finished, he wipes the back of his hand over his mouth.
A barbarian. An uncouth wild fae.
So why is my breath so short, heat spreading through me? Heat in my belly and a strange tightening in my chest I normally associate with my family and home, and the two combined can’t spell anything good.
He finally catches my gaze on him and goes still. “What?” he growls. “Enjoying the show?”
Shaking my head, I climb back on his bed and curl up, saying nothing.
“Now you’ve gone and scared her again,” Talton grumbles.
Roane grunts. “What? Why?”
“Eating like a black bear, and then growling like one. What do you think?”
After a long blink, Roane glances down at the pot and his dirty hands. Abandoning it, he gets up. “It doesn’t matter, Tal. She’s not staying here much longer.”
“And where do you suggest she goes?” Talton hisses, hopping after Roane who walks away without a backward glance, again with that slight limp in his step. “She’s trapped here, same as you.”
“We’re not the same, she and I.”
“I’d say you’re not! She’s a fine girl and you’re a grumpy ass…”
Their voices fade, though the echoes bounce around for a while longer, the words growing distorted and incomprehensible.
