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Marlak shows no signs that he noticed I’m eating like a starved animal. He’s looking away, thoughtful, then his eyes settle on me. How can they settle and yet be so unsettling? And yet I can sense that his mind is not completely here, as if consumed by other thoughts. “So you’re not afraid of Cherry Cake?”
To be fair, the fact that it flies with no wings is quite spooky, but my mouth is too full to say any of that, so I just shake my head.
His eyes are distant again, while he nods. “I should have known.” He looks at me and smirks. It’s the first smile I see on his face today. “But the blindfold is more dramatic, isn’t it?”
I’m about to laugh, when I notice his left hand resting on the table. On its back, there’s a fresh ragged scar—just like in the dream. So it was real. It’s only then I notice he’s looking at me. That’s the searching stare, smart black eyes seeing who I am. He noticed I noticed.
“You got hurt?” I ask with what I hope is the most natural voice ever.
He brings up his hand, as if to examine it. “A little, yes.” He then looks at me. “Were you… expecting me to be hurt?”
A careful question. I lean back in the chair. “Why would I expect something like that?” Then I take another big bite of the sandwich, first, because I’m hungry, second, because it gives me time to think before talking.
He stares at his hand again. “Sometimes…” He’s measuring his words. “People can see things far away, things in the future. It can happen.”
I’m still chewing that big bite, so I nod.
He’s mulling over something. “I saw you. In danger.”
I swallow, then snap my finger. “By magic?” I don’t know why I’m making fun of that now. I know I called him, I know I trusted our connection. Maybe now that I’m here, safe, I would like to pretend it never happened, that it was some strange coincidence.
He rests his face on the palm of his hands. “No idea what that was, wife. I’m glad I found you.”
“But if you’re so worried that I’ll reveal your secrets, you should be happy if I died.” Perhaps I want to see his reaction.
He frowns. “Don’t say nonsense, wife.”
It’s not nonsense, but I’m not going to argue like a ten-year-old. I just take another bite. I’m not sure how he expects me to eat when he’s staring at me like that.
“You were shimmery.”
“What?” I ask, still with my mouth full.
“When I got there. What magic is that, Astra?” He glances at my arms, as if looking for a bracelet. “Is it some kind of opus stone? You need to tell me, just so I know what it is and how to better protect you. Maybe you could even develop your magic more.”
“I just trust the Almighty Mother and her light. That’s it. I’m not supposed to ever try to do any magic.”
“Why not?”
Oh, no. I can’t believe what I let slip. I can’t do any magic because it could turn dark and dangerous and people would soon know what I am. I decide to give a stupid excuse. “I’m not royal family.”
He tilts his head. “You’re my wife now, Astra. There isn’t anything you can’t do.”
Oh, I’m pretty sure I can’t use people’s blood to feed my magic. Of course, I don’t say any of that. Instead, I smile and take another bite.
At least he’s talking for the both of us. “Your magic, or whatever you want to call it, was incredible. You’re quite powerful.”
I just shake my head, my mouth too full, the idea too strange.
He continues, “And you truly use no stones?”
I show him my unadorned hands. “Where?”
“You tell me.” He raises an eyebrow, that odd, curious expression.
Does he think I have an opus stone stuck in any of my cavities? As if he hadn’t poked around them many, many times—in dreams. And this is not the time to think about that. “No stones. And it’s not really magic.”
He bites his lip. “You had to kill two men.”
