“Ah,” he says, and he takes a deep sip of wine. “That explains it.”
“Can I ask you a question?” I ask after another pause.
“Go on.”
“How did you know about the bruise on my back?”
He looks off across the sea, searching for a way to explain it. “When I touch you, I can feel the blood flowing through your body. It’s like a map in some ways, the way it appears in my mind. I can feel when something isn’t flowing as it should, when it collects somewhere or exits through a wound.”
When it collects somewhere. Like a bruise, or…
Like arousal.
“Exactly,” he says, tilting his glass to me. “I got that one. And yes, it’s every bit as embarrassing as you’re imagining.”
Gods. I tell myself to never, ever let him touch me again.
Or maybe to let him touch me right now.
Godsdammit, keep it together.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there today to heal you. I was following a lead on Vesper that led nowhere, unfortunately. We didn’t get anything useful from Marcella; it seems like the two going missing weren’t related. I won’t miss another of your events.”
“Please don’t,” I say. “You don’t need to come.” I don’t really want him to come. I’m not sure how well I’ll perform, knowing he’s watching.
“I won’t let something like that happen to you again.” He leans back and crosses his arms, defiant.
I scoff. “You sent me into danger yourself.”
“That was different. I was there.”
His mouth sets into a firm line. Fine, I’ll let him have this one. But I still want to know how he knew what happened. “Did you send someone to keep an eye on me?”
“No,” he says, picking up his fork and flicking it across his empty plate. It’s an obvious lie. “Alright, yes. I did.”
My face flushes, and for once, I can’t tell if it’s from embarrassment, anger, or some kind of primal appreciation for being protected.
“And don’t tell me you didn’t need it because you did. It’s a good thing she was there, from what she told me.”
“Wait, are you telling me you sent Zara to protect me?” The head of the Alchemists’ Guild? He sent the head of the Alchemists’ Guild to protect me during the tournament?
“She offered to go, to be fair. She pointed out that House Verran has a lot of enemies, and I agreed it would be best to have someone with light magic there to help you. Honestly, I think she just wanted to see the sport for herself. I don’t think either of us thought she’d truly be needed.”
Zara had volunteered. I make a mental note to send her something as a thank you. She had been absolutely right.
“That’s two questions you’ve asked me. It’s my turn,” he says. I reach for the wine bottle at the same time he does. Our hands touch, sending a shock through me like lightning. I pull away suddenly, remembering what he said about feeling arousal.
I’ll let him pour.
His breathing falters for just a moment before he regains control. “What do you like to do?” he asks me once our glasses are full again.
I laugh. “All the buildup for that?”
“I’m serious. I told you I’d like to know you. Tell me what you like.”
“Well, you know I’m not great at sword-fighting, but I’m not bad at archery. I can embroider, dance, the usual things. I can actually do a bit of acrobatic tumbling, that part of what I told Soren was true. Oh, and I can play the flute.”
“That’s not what I meant, although I am fond of music. There’s a lute in there.” He gestures back to the living area.
