“Tah-rah,” Alex said.
“Good-bye,” Charlotte added.
The man scurried away.
“I’ll give you three seconds to let me go,” Charlotte said, “before I demonstrate my technique for killing a man using one elbow and the anchoring phrase of the incantation.”
Alex sighed. “Are you always like this?”
“You bring out the worst in me.”
“I meant—”
She pulled away. He thought she might run, but instead she placed her hands on her hips and glared at the scenery as if it were making an effort to personally annoy her. “We should try to locate your house.”
Alex considered the distant trees. “It’s too far. Bixby knows how to land in a hurry. He’ll be fine. We’ll wait in the Angler’s Retreat and make a search when the rain clears.”
“That’s a long walk.”
“Hardly.”
“You’ve crippled me, hitting my leg with your sword’s pommel as you did.”
His heart swooped with dismay. Taking a step toward her, he glanced at the leg in question, its shape explicit within the soaked trousers, then blinked hurriedly and looked at her face instead. “I’m sorry, does it very much hurt?”
“I am in agonizing pain,” she lied calmly.
Hearing her tone, he rolled his eyes. “I’m walking,” he said, bending to pick up his sword. “You can come or not, as you choose. If not, I wish you all the best in your efforts to steal the amulet. Good afternoon, madam.”
She gave him a vicious look and muttered beneath her breath. The little besom flew up from the grass into her hand. With a snap, a long thin metal broom shot out. Its bristles flared like a bare-bones umbrella.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to sit on that and fly,” Alex said incredulously.
“Certainly not! Don’t be ridiculous!” She shook back her wet hair. “I am going to hold on to it and fly.”
“That’s daft.”
“It’s quicker than walking.”
“Aren’t you afraid of falling off in the middle of the lake?”
“I am not afraid of anything, Captain.”
“You really ought to rethink that attitude.”
“Perhaps I shall, once inside, warm and dry, and drinking tea with a splash of sherry.”
“Sherry?” He laughed. “That’s a drink for grandmothers in fluffy slippers and hairnets.”
She gave him a cutting smile. “Sir, if I wore fluffy slippers, they would have poisoned darts hidden amongst their fluff.”
His blood turned suddenly hot. He swayed a little toward her, andshe swayed a little toward him, and thunder shook a warning that had them moving prudently back again.
“I believe you,” he said. “But for God’s sake, drink a proper whiskey.”
“It’s ungentlemanly for you to tell me what to do. Actually, no, I take that back. It’s entirely gentlemanly. You, sir, represent all that is wrong with our patriarchal society!”
“And you, madam, are the most enticing creature I have ever known. I want to lick every inch of you.”
