faeries.” Gregor began packing the wound with the leaves. “So why did you decide to trust me?”
How could she explain to him all the little things that made her feel safe enough to be in the same room with him? “You saved my life, to start with. Then I watched you. I watched you for days from a safe distance.” She focused her mind on her eyes, willing them to become large and golden. She even allowed a few white feathers to sprout from her head.
He grinned. “So you were the owl. I thought as much.”
“I watched you long enough to know you weren’t a threat to me.” Or anyone else, for that matter . Day after day, she watched him sit alone in this study, pouring over his books and scrolls. The only human contact he had was the daily meal exchange with his housekeeper. His studies absorbed every moment of his day.
The other thing she noticed about him was his clumsiness, as if he never learned how to use his long limbs. She had seen him trip over his own feet, walk into trees, and even get knocked to the ground by Duke. Yes, there was absolutely nothing threatening about him . She stretched and slowly relaxed.
“No, I won't hurt you. That is, as long as you don't attack me or anything like that. I am a Master Mage, you know.”
She resisted the urge to laugh. She could rip his heart out before he cast his first spell. “I'll keep that in mind.”
He finished cleaning her wound. “Can I get you something to eat?”
Her eyes grew heavy. Must be from the potion . “No, I think I need to sleep for a bit longer.”
“You've been asleep off and on for almost a week.”
“A week?” Her fingers dug into the mattress.
He nodded. “Well, you had a fever for most of it, talking out of your head in Elvish. I discovered, though, that if I brewed tea from the hykona leaves and made you drink it—”
“A week?” she repeated. She had never stayed in one place for that long a time. It was too risky. Someone may discover her and alert Azekborn.
He pouted. “You're much better now, if that's any consolation.”
She flung her arm over her eyes. She would have to trust him and hope his reclusive lifestyle wouldn’t betray them.
***
Ranealya sat up and hissed few hours later. Her leg throbbed in with each beat of her heart, erasing the last remnants of her sleep. Across the room, Gregor dropped his quill and rose from his chair, but her growl stopped him before he took a step. She didn’t need his help. She took a deep breath and focused on something other than the pain until it slowly subsided. Then she tried to stand.
Gregor caught her as her leg gave out from under her. She didn’t expect him to move with such speed, and she was even more surprised he was able to wrap his arms around her without dropping her in the process. “Careful, Ranealya.” His voice sounded soothing in her ears.
He pulled her to her feet, and she leaned most of her weight on him. “You’re stronger than I gave you credit for,” she said.
“And you’re just as stubborn as I thought you were.” He guided her to the table and lowered her into a chair in front of a plate of food. “Eat.”
She waited until he sat down across from her before she picked a small morsel of bread off the loaf. Her stomach growled in response. When she finished the contents of her plate, she gave the scraps to Duke, who lingered at her feet for them. “How long was I asleep this time?”
He shrugged. “A few hours.”
An awkward silence filled the room. He fidgeted, reaching for a quill, then stopping halfway and returning his hands in his lap. His eyes pleaded with her.
“Is there something you wish to ask me?”
“Quite a few questions, actually.” He grabbed his quill and a piece of paper from his desk and went back to retrieve a bottle of ink, spilling it in the process.
As he sopped up the mess, she peered at his notes. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said he had plenty of questions. She dangled the paper in her hand.
How could she explain to him all the little things that made her feel safe enough to be in the same room with him? “You saved my life, to start with. Then I watched you. I watched you for days from a safe distance.” She focused her mind on her eyes, willing them to become large and golden. She even allowed a few white feathers to sprout from her head.
He grinned. “So you were the owl. I thought as much.”
“I watched you long enough to know you weren’t a threat to me.” Or anyone else, for that matter . Day after day, she watched him sit alone in this study, pouring over his books and scrolls. The only human contact he had was the daily meal exchange with his housekeeper. His studies absorbed every moment of his day.
The other thing she noticed about him was his clumsiness, as if he never learned how to use his long limbs. She had seen him trip over his own feet, walk into trees, and even get knocked to the ground by Duke. Yes, there was absolutely nothing threatening about him . She stretched and slowly relaxed.
“No, I won't hurt you. That is, as long as you don't attack me or anything like that. I am a Master Mage, you know.”
She resisted the urge to laugh. She could rip his heart out before he cast his first spell. “I'll keep that in mind.”
He finished cleaning her wound. “Can I get you something to eat?”
Her eyes grew heavy. Must be from the potion . “No, I think I need to sleep for a bit longer.”
“You've been asleep off and on for almost a week.”
“A week?” Her fingers dug into the mattress.
He nodded. “Well, you had a fever for most of it, talking out of your head in Elvish. I discovered, though, that if I brewed tea from the hykona leaves and made you drink it—”
“A week?” she repeated. She had never stayed in one place for that long a time. It was too risky. Someone may discover her and alert Azekborn.
He pouted. “You're much better now, if that's any consolation.”
She flung her arm over her eyes. She would have to trust him and hope his reclusive lifestyle wouldn’t betray them.
***
Ranealya sat up and hissed few hours later. Her leg throbbed in with each beat of her heart, erasing the last remnants of her sleep. Across the room, Gregor dropped his quill and rose from his chair, but her growl stopped him before he took a step. She didn’t need his help. She took a deep breath and focused on something other than the pain until it slowly subsided. Then she tried to stand.
Gregor caught her as her leg gave out from under her. She didn’t expect him to move with such speed, and she was even more surprised he was able to wrap his arms around her without dropping her in the process. “Careful, Ranealya.” His voice sounded soothing in her ears.
He pulled her to her feet, and she leaned most of her weight on him. “You’re stronger than I gave you credit for,” she said.
“And you’re just as stubborn as I thought you were.” He guided her to the table and lowered her into a chair in front of a plate of food. “Eat.”
She waited until he sat down across from her before she picked a small morsel of bread off the loaf. Her stomach growled in response. When she finished the contents of her plate, she gave the scraps to Duke, who lingered at her feet for them. “How long was I asleep this time?”
He shrugged. “A few hours.”
An awkward silence filled the room. He fidgeted, reaching for a quill, then stopping halfway and returning his hands in his lap. His eyes pleaded with her.
“Is there something you wish to ask me?”
“Quite a few questions, actually.” He grabbed his quill and a piece of paper from his desk and went back to retrieve a bottle of ink, spilling it in the process.
As he sopped up the mess, she peered at his notes. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said he had plenty of questions. She dangled the paper in her hand.
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