Kalinda nodded. “Dominic and Romano had me checked out with Zahara.” Again, she found herself skirting the truth, not sure how much of it should could share with anyone.
“Hmmm,” Silva said as she packed the frosting into pastry bags for decorating later.
“Oh no, that’s not the end of this. It’s your turn, Tinker.”
Her trademark action showed up when Silva wrinkled her nose. “I would like to tell you she was not Fae but a fairy. Much different. A sprite, or what have you, from the element of wind who could help people fly with her fairy dust. A fairy answers to the power of the Fae if it is so ordered or they are bound. I am not a fairy, and much cuter.”
“Oh, well excuse me.”
“You’re excused.”
“Spill.”
Silva sighed and mumbled something Kalinda had no chance of hearing.
“What was that?”
“I don’t know what to tell you or what I can tell you.”
Okay, so that wasn’t ominous at all … not! Kalinda was already pretty tired of not understanding, and she figured the last three days had proven that while her magic was changing, the danger they all thought she was in was not as immediate as they originally thought. The Viscount Pride nor the Council had made no contact, and Kalinda was starting to think there was some conspiracy going on around her, and she didn’t like it.
“Not really an answer after I was truthful with you, and I won’t accept it,” Kalinda admonished.
“And you and I both know you didn’t tell me everything, and that happens. We’re both protecting something.”
“How would you know if I was hiding something?”
Silva rolled her eyes. “Probably because your magic now feels older than mine, and mine is old, like three-wise-men, baby-in-a-manger, immaculate-conception old. No, I’m wrong, probably closer to when humans first walked the earth. But you get it. Old.”
“Did you just say …” Yep, that was about the time Kalinda lost it. Tears rolling down her cheeks, she laughed until her sides hurt. “Wait, what sort of magic is immaculate-conception old? Who says that?”
Silva twirled her fingers before her face, laughing. “Me?”
“What does that all even mean?”
“It means your magic hasn’t just changed or elevated, it’s …” Silva moved her hands through the air between them. “It’s hard to explain. It’s not just yours anymore, and the magic added to yours is very powerful.”
“Well, that’s the only thing I didn’t tell you, but it’s because I don’t really understand it. Zahara said I was touched and that the Council could be contacting me, but nothing has happened. It all seems like people keep telling me what my magic is but nothing is changing in how I can use it. It only happens in random spurts.”
Silva nodded. “I can’t tell you much more either. I wasn’t lying when I said I don’t know what to tell you or how much. I know where I come from, but the secrecy around that isn’t just my own to hold, so I cannot share, but as far as why I’m here, I don’t know.”
“Sounds like your problem may be worse than mine.”
“Tell me about it.”
The timer dinged and Kalinda got her cakes out to cool before putting another batch in, along with several muffin trays. What a beautiful invention double ovens were, and she had a few of them. They made work a lot easier when she had larger orders. But still, her skin felt tight, and her normal comfort when she cooked was lost. She took the prime rib to Giuliana, who barely looked up from a show about home renovation with a quiet thank you, and Kalinda still felt off.
It was stupid, but she sort of felt like reaching out to Romano, and that made her groan out loud. She didn’t need anyone, especially not their comfort, or their arms around her, or their …
What are you thinking about, K? Are you serious?
But one thought led to the next, and she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about Romano. His lips, the strength in his body, the hard planes pressed against her softer curves. Okay, so she could admit he was a hot piece of man, even if annoying as hell, but she couldn’t afford to get tied up with him.
He’d always flirted, but he seemed to be that way no matter whom it involved, and she couldn’t take him seriously. The only interaction with him after the fact was, well, tied up into her magic that apparently wanted to jump his bones.
“This can’t be happening.”
Kalinda shook her head, trying to clear it, and headed back into her kitchen. Thoughts of sexy time firmly under control, she continued to work on her order. So no, she wasn’t thinking about Romano’s mouth, or his eyes, or his body, or the way he curled around her when she came out of the Chaos Realm. And, of course, she wasn’t thinking she sort of, really, maybe just a bit, but kind of a lot, enjoyed how her magic touched him in all the right—wrong!—places.
