“Now you know me a little better.”
I couldn't help it. I returned his smile. For the first time, I thought, You know, he's not so bad . “Thanks. That helps. A little.”
“Maybe if you get to know me more, it will help more than a little.” His eyes crinkled at the corners and my heart jumped in my chest.
“Here you are, dears,” said the old woman. She set two plates in front of us, eggs surrounded with two slices of toast, orange slices and strawberries, two pieces of sausage, and two pieces of bacon. It smelled amazing.
I pulled away from Kailen. “Thank you,” I told her. She smiled, nodded, and turned away from us.
We ate in silence. I wasn't sure what to say to Kailen, and the way he'd made me feel for a moment unsettled me. I hadn't felt that way since I'd first met Owen, so many years ago. Maybe it had something to do with his magic. But why use it on me now? Or maybe he did it without even thinking.
I watched Kailen from beneath my eyelashes as I buttered my toast. Once in a while, he passed a piece of food to Jane, in his pocket, who accepted it with a squeak of gratitude. The breakfast tasted just as good as Kailen had promised. I usually picked up a bagel on my way into work. Owen liked to cook, but he seldom got up early enough to make me breakfast on a weekday. He made up for it on the weekends, though, with spreads almost as elaborate as the one before me now.
Why was I still thinking about Owen?
Something clicked and whirred. Both Kailen and I stopped eating.
“Is that your watch again?” I asked.
He lifted his wrist, his gaze intent on the face. “This morning? And here?” he muttered. He looked at me, then put his hand to the tube at his belt. “They've found us.”
My gaze drifted over the small dining room. There was the door to the kitchen, the door we'd entered through, three windows behind me, and one to the side, revealing the wrap-around porch. All windows were closed against the chill morning air. “Who is they ?” I asked.
Kailen shook his head. “Back toward the window.” The watch beeped out a warning.
I rose to my feet, my knees bumping the leg of the table and sending water slopping over the tablecloth. On an impulse, I seized the knife next to my plate. I still remembered the dream I'd had two nights ago, where the hobgoblin had torn me in half. If I'd learned anything in my thirty-two years, it was that the only person I could always rely on was myself. Kailen was great with his sword and all, but if it came down to saving my ass or his, well, I wasn't going to count on chivalry taking the day.
Black circles formed on the maroon carpet of the dining room, spreading into oily puddles.
Kailen unclipped the tube at his belt and snapped his arm out. The sword unfolded. We moved toward the three windows on the far wall. “Only three of them this time,” Kailen said. “Well, they don't have much confidence in my abilities, do they?”
"Who is they ?" I repeated through tight lips.
Three hobgoblins rose up out of the puddles, glowing eyes fixing on us. My fingers clenched around the steak knife. They started toward us, eighteen hands stretching forward.
“Stay behind me,” Kailen said.
The hobgoblins attacked. Kailen made quick work of the first one, slicing it through the middle. It dissolved. The next two approached more carefully. One engaged Kailen while the other reached around and tried to grab me.
I cut off its hand with my steak knife. As the hobgoblin's hand dissolved and the black specks flew over my arm, I stopped feeling afraid. I pushed past the protective reach of Kailen's arms, scoring a strike against the hobgoblin's face. It hissed, exposing a black, shapeless maw where its mouth should have been. More black liquid dripped onto the carpet.
One of its lower hands seized the side of my shirt. I couldn't seem to watch all of them at once. I twisted away, trying to break its grip. Another hand came around and grabbed my opposite shoulder. I
I couldn't help it. I returned his smile. For the first time, I thought, You know, he's not so bad . “Thanks. That helps. A little.”
“Maybe if you get to know me more, it will help more than a little.” His eyes crinkled at the corners and my heart jumped in my chest.
“Here you are, dears,” said the old woman. She set two plates in front of us, eggs surrounded with two slices of toast, orange slices and strawberries, two pieces of sausage, and two pieces of bacon. It smelled amazing.
I pulled away from Kailen. “Thank you,” I told her. She smiled, nodded, and turned away from us.
We ate in silence. I wasn't sure what to say to Kailen, and the way he'd made me feel for a moment unsettled me. I hadn't felt that way since I'd first met Owen, so many years ago. Maybe it had something to do with his magic. But why use it on me now? Or maybe he did it without even thinking.
I watched Kailen from beneath my eyelashes as I buttered my toast. Once in a while, he passed a piece of food to Jane, in his pocket, who accepted it with a squeak of gratitude. The breakfast tasted just as good as Kailen had promised. I usually picked up a bagel on my way into work. Owen liked to cook, but he seldom got up early enough to make me breakfast on a weekday. He made up for it on the weekends, though, with spreads almost as elaborate as the one before me now.
Why was I still thinking about Owen?
Something clicked and whirred. Both Kailen and I stopped eating.
“Is that your watch again?” I asked.
He lifted his wrist, his gaze intent on the face. “This morning? And here?” he muttered. He looked at me, then put his hand to the tube at his belt. “They've found us.”
My gaze drifted over the small dining room. There was the door to the kitchen, the door we'd entered through, three windows behind me, and one to the side, revealing the wrap-around porch. All windows were closed against the chill morning air. “Who is they ?” I asked.
Kailen shook his head. “Back toward the window.” The watch beeped out a warning.
I rose to my feet, my knees bumping the leg of the table and sending water slopping over the tablecloth. On an impulse, I seized the knife next to my plate. I still remembered the dream I'd had two nights ago, where the hobgoblin had torn me in half. If I'd learned anything in my thirty-two years, it was that the only person I could always rely on was myself. Kailen was great with his sword and all, but if it came down to saving my ass or his, well, I wasn't going to count on chivalry taking the day.
Black circles formed on the maroon carpet of the dining room, spreading into oily puddles.
Kailen unclipped the tube at his belt and snapped his arm out. The sword unfolded. We moved toward the three windows on the far wall. “Only three of them this time,” Kailen said. “Well, they don't have much confidence in my abilities, do they?”
"Who is they ?" I repeated through tight lips.
Three hobgoblins rose up out of the puddles, glowing eyes fixing on us. My fingers clenched around the steak knife. They started toward us, eighteen hands stretching forward.
“Stay behind me,” Kailen said.
The hobgoblins attacked. Kailen made quick work of the first one, slicing it through the middle. It dissolved. The next two approached more carefully. One engaged Kailen while the other reached around and tried to grab me.
I cut off its hand with my steak knife. As the hobgoblin's hand dissolved and the black specks flew over my arm, I stopped feeling afraid. I pushed past the protective reach of Kailen's arms, scoring a strike against the hobgoblin's face. It hissed, exposing a black, shapeless maw where its mouth should have been. More black liquid dripped onto the carpet.
One of its lower hands seized the side of my shirt. I couldn't seem to watch all of them at once. I twisted away, trying to break its grip. Another hand came around and grabbed my opposite shoulder. I
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