He simply needed to speak to her— No. He needed to free up time, then speak to her. And once he’d accomplished that, perhaps he could hang around. Another frustrated run of fingers through his messy hair helped distract Kas from thoughts of her for a moment, long enough for him to realize he needed a haircut.
Standing at his desk, he angled his ear toward the vent to hear her better. She puttered around, sliding tomes in and out of their slots. A dragging followed by acreakindicated she’d climbed on the step ladder to reach a high book. How high was itreally? She was quite small. If he was in there with her, would he have been able to aid her by pulling it down from the shelf?
Work.His work. Kas needed to be focused on his project,not wondering what Miss Kiappa was up to during her personal time. He was nearly done, a final pass, a few tweaks, and then he could send it off.
Nesrina sneezed, then coughed, then sneezed again, before a fit took hold of her in earnest. Annoyed, Kas shoved his chair back and rose. In three steps, he’d rounded the desk with a glass of water in hand and stomped off to the library.
If that guard hadn’t betrayed her by kissing another woman, Kas might not have gone to help. But as it was, he felt bad, and supremely guilty for being... a little bit happy Sarma wasn’t wholly taken by her. At thesame time, what sort of fool was the guard tonotsee how fantastic she was? Intelligence sparkled behind her eyes, far more interesting than her body—marginally more interesting.Moreinteresting, that was the key point.
Dressed in pink, she sat inhiscorner, one he’d stuffed a chaise lounge into to make it that much better. It was a perfectly cozy spot to get lost in a good book. She’d tried, it seemed.
A two-hundred-year-old text on Karova’s ten clans lay discarded on the floor. The dusty old thing was the likely culprit of her coughing fit.An interesting choice.He had newer books on the same topic.
Nesrina flapped her hands around as she gasped for breath, and Kas sent over a soothing wave of crisp, dust-free air to envelop her as he approached. Looking up with bleary eyes, she wheezed, and he stuck out his hand, offering the glass of water he’d brought for her.
When she accepted it, he savored the way her soft fingers brushed his, sizzling goosebumps up his arm. Blinking, Kas willed himself to get in and get out, to get back to work. He couldn’t afford to be away from his desk any longer than necessary. Counting each of her sips, he called it data collection, making sure she was feeling better before retreating.
She tipped her head up and met his gaze. “Thank you,” she said hoarsely.
Shit.Something about her eyes... the sound of her voice... it hit him hard in the base of his stomach, sending a not unwelcome aftershock coursing to his groin. Kas wanted to kneel before her, take her beautiful face in his hands, and plant a kiss on her delectable rosy lips.
No. She’s not that interesting.
He truly needed to return to his project, already running a few days behind schedule. The delays were all due to his distraction, his infatuation.Whatevershe was, he didn’t have time to consider it at the moment. When his stomach growled, he was reminded of yet another task to be handled. No matter where his feet took him, he desperately needed to refocus elsewhere—for the time being. If he could free up some time, he might be in better shape. With that final thought, he turned and stalked away.
“Have you eaten supper today?” Her cough-strained voice rasped out after him.
He chuckled, pausing, considering returning to her side.Gods, Kas. To what end?
“Kalalitani,” distraction, he grumbled, before leaving the room.
eight
Nesrina encounters a bump in the road.
“We’vebeenhereaweek,” she commented to Rihan as they wandered back toward the house after sharing kisses in the trees where her favorite willow went above and beyond in its duties as the prime reading spot.
His fingers were already wound through hers, and he gave them a squeeze. “It’s gone by so quickly.”
“I know,” she lied. Her time at Stormhill had notgone by quickly, at all. What did feel like it passed in the blink of an eye was the full month since she’d arrived at Kirce Palace.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the early-evening sun hanging over the rolling hills in the west, and not having much to talk about. As they fell under the shadow of the estate’s north wall, Nesrina asked, “Do you know whatkalalmeans?”
Rihan shook his head.
“Do you know any Old Tongue? I think it might be that.”
“No, why would I?”
She shrugged. It was something the duke had said when leaving the library. To say it had piqued her interest would be an understatement. But she didn’t need to explain that to Rihan. They reached the northeast corner of the manse and turned right to follow the long stone wall up to the side entrance. “I don’t know, I thought maybe you would have studied it at theInstitute in Rohilavol?”
Rihan laughed heartily, flashing one of those disarming grins she was growing oh-so fond of. “Nope. Those boring classes are for men who’d rather have their noses in a book than in br—” he cut himself off, a wide, sheepish smile taking up the mantle as he eyed thenot-books on her chest.
“Oh!” Nesrina giggled, realizing his meaning. He wasn’t bookish at all, which was a shame. A part of her recognized a future with the soldier was unlikely. Had Papa been alive, he’d have thought him an utter fool. While Rihan’s class would have been passably acceptable, her papa always said, “Wasting time on an unread man is like tossing away a thousand thoughts.” She couldn’t say she disagreed, but she had time to waste, and her mind never shut up.
“Speaking of...” The soldier slowed his gait and rounded on her, pinning her against the sun-warmed wall.
“Yes?” she breathed, tilting her head back to peer up at his adorably rosy cheeks and smooth hair. The rough stone behind her tugged on her braid, but she didn’t mind. Those butterflies were back, flapping their wings and threatening to burst from her belly in a potentially unladylike manner.
