anything resembling charm. She immediately decided he was safer when he was cold and mercenarylike.
“Okay,” she managed, her throat tight and strangely achy. “So you might have a little … touch.”
His smile widened. It exposed the fact that he had the smallest dimple on the right side of his mouth. Good God, the man was actually sexy when he grinned like that.
“Sweetheart, you don’t know the half of it.” He reached up a hand and took the hat off her head. “This is sort of a mood killer, though.”
“I save homeless animals for a living,” she managed, finding her own edge. “One generally doesn’t dress in sequins and pearls in my occupation.” She should be moving away from him.
“I’m not much into sequins and pearls, either,” he said.
His voice was all deep and Down Under velvety.
Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson eat your hearts out
, she thought. Talia found herself sinking into the depths of his gleaming eyes. There was almost no distinction between pupil and iris. It was as if she could fall into their inky depths and never hit bottom. When he lifted a hand to push a wayward strand of hair off her face, she almost shuddered in anticipation of what his tough, hard hands would feel like on her skin.
But she never found out. Instead she all but jumped out of that skin at a sudden clearing of a throat behind her. It was only Archer’s quick reflexes that kept her from falling ass-backward into the pond.
She wished he’d let her fall in. At least then she could disappear beneath the murky depths rather than face his knowing look. Or the considering expression on Baleweg’s face when she turned to find the old man standing behind her.
Archer shifted his attention to Baleweg. No doubt the old man had seen the two of them standing close like that.
Lost my touch, eh mate?
Not bloody likely.
“I trust you have convinced Miss Trahaern to begin her studies?” Baleweg said mildly.
“I was getting to that.”
“Studies?” Talia asked.
“We must begin your instruction, to help you bring forth your natural talents. So that you may return with us and help our queen.”
Archer stepped between them. “Wait a minute.What you mean is that she’ll return with us, and
then
she’ll begin whatever lessons she needs. I’m sure the queen can help you both with all that.”
Baleweg shook his head. “She cannot return until she is ready. The queen’s health is dwindling, yes, but she’s not at death’s door quite yet. Talia is of no use to her as she is now. Once we take her to Llanfair, things will move swiftly. Forces there will be ready to pounce upon her return. Even the queen would be hard-pressed to protect her in her current state. She must be able to act immediately. Everyone knows trust is a rapidly dwindling commodity at court these days.”
“She’s not exactly safe here, either,” Archer argued.
“We have a more controlled position here,” Baleweg responded. “We have only to weed out those few who have found their way here. It is easier for me to detect disturbances in the time continuum here than at home.” His focus seemed to drift. “It is … quieter here. I have never felt such clarity.” He didn’t sound entirely comfortable with that, but his blue eyes sharpened once more as he looked back to Archer. “Your extensive knowledge of those likely to be involved should help us maintain security.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to play castle guard while you two play school?” Archer shook his head. “The deal was I find her, I convince her to come back. Something, I might remind you, I was about a second or two away from accomplishing before you so rudely interrupted.”
Talia lifted an eyebrow. “Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
Archer’s mouth actually twitched. She surprised him. For all that she looked as if she’d break in a good stiff wind, she was a pretty tough sort. Her luminous eyes and elegantly shaped lips, framed
“Okay,” she managed, her throat tight and strangely achy. “So you might have a little … touch.”
His smile widened. It exposed the fact that he had the smallest dimple on the right side of his mouth. Good God, the man was actually sexy when he grinned like that.
“Sweetheart, you don’t know the half of it.” He reached up a hand and took the hat off her head. “This is sort of a mood killer, though.”
“I save homeless animals for a living,” she managed, finding her own edge. “One generally doesn’t dress in sequins and pearls in my occupation.” She should be moving away from him.
“I’m not much into sequins and pearls, either,” he said.
His voice was all deep and Down Under velvety.
Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson eat your hearts out
, she thought. Talia found herself sinking into the depths of his gleaming eyes. There was almost no distinction between pupil and iris. It was as if she could fall into their inky depths and never hit bottom. When he lifted a hand to push a wayward strand of hair off her face, she almost shuddered in anticipation of what his tough, hard hands would feel like on her skin.
But she never found out. Instead she all but jumped out of that skin at a sudden clearing of a throat behind her. It was only Archer’s quick reflexes that kept her from falling ass-backward into the pond.
She wished he’d let her fall in. At least then she could disappear beneath the murky depths rather than face his knowing look. Or the considering expression on Baleweg’s face when she turned to find the old man standing behind her.
Archer shifted his attention to Baleweg. No doubt the old man had seen the two of them standing close like that.
Lost my touch, eh mate?
Not bloody likely.
“I trust you have convinced Miss Trahaern to begin her studies?” Baleweg said mildly.
“I was getting to that.”
“Studies?” Talia asked.
“We must begin your instruction, to help you bring forth your natural talents. So that you may return with us and help our queen.”
Archer stepped between them. “Wait a minute.What you mean is that she’ll return with us, and
then
she’ll begin whatever lessons she needs. I’m sure the queen can help you both with all that.”
Baleweg shook his head. “She cannot return until she is ready. The queen’s health is dwindling, yes, but she’s not at death’s door quite yet. Talia is of no use to her as she is now. Once we take her to Llanfair, things will move swiftly. Forces there will be ready to pounce upon her return. Even the queen would be hard-pressed to protect her in her current state. She must be able to act immediately. Everyone knows trust is a rapidly dwindling commodity at court these days.”
“She’s not exactly safe here, either,” Archer argued.
“We have a more controlled position here,” Baleweg responded. “We have only to weed out those few who have found their way here. It is easier for me to detect disturbances in the time continuum here than at home.” His focus seemed to drift. “It is … quieter here. I have never felt such clarity.” He didn’t sound entirely comfortable with that, but his blue eyes sharpened once more as he looked back to Archer. “Your extensive knowledge of those likely to be involved should help us maintain security.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to play castle guard while you two play school?” Archer shook his head. “The deal was I find her, I convince her to come back. Something, I might remind you, I was about a second or two away from accomplishing before you so rudely interrupted.”
Talia lifted an eyebrow. “Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
Archer’s mouth actually twitched. She surprised him. For all that she looked as if she’d break in a good stiff wind, she was a pretty tough sort. Her luminous eyes and elegantly shaped lips, framed
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