Misery for misery. It was all I had left.
Gavin had grown quiet, waiting for my reaction, when above our heads the floor groaned. I followed Gavin’s gaze to the ceiling. There was a loud thud, accompanied by the prolonged screech of wood scraping across wood.
“Looks as if someone else is awake.” Gavin grimaced at another horrific thud. “You should probably make sure your new employee isn’t trying to jump out the window.”
I grunted and strode past him into the hallway. Taking the stairs to the third floor, I made my way toward Liana’s room. Wasn’t I just complaining about the quiet making me miserable? Now there was noise, and I was anxious. What was that woman up to? The thuds went silent, so I picked up my pace, dread mixing with curiosity. If I found her underneath a toppled bureau…
Glass shattered, and I broke into a dead run.
Reaching her door, I halted long enough to question the suit of armor stationed outside her room. One of the metal arms was bent at an odd angle, and the helmet was askew.What in the devil…?I twisted the handle, not bothering to knock. The door swung inward, and I squinted against a stream of harsh sunlight pouring in from the far window.
A muffled curse caught my attention. I dragged my gaze to the other side of the room. Liana stood on her toes, a rickety end table beneath her feet. Her arms were outstretched, fingers attempting to snag the curtain rod that was an inch out of her reach.
“What the hell are you doing?” I barked.
She whirled, surprise shifting to panic as the table rocked. Her arms flailed, eyes going wide as her body swerved toward the edge.
Time seemed to slow as I lunged through the doorway. My boots skidded over shards of glass, trying to reach her in time.
The full length of her crashed into me, and my hands banded around her waist. Liana’s thick hair covered my face, making it impossible to see. I would have laughed at our awkward position if I weren’t still reeling from seeing her nearly take a swan dive onto the floor.
She was off-balance, so I picked her up, swinging her legs over my forearm. Her head shook back and forth as she tried to dislodge the flowing strands of hair tangled in her eyes. The blonde waves moved on puffs of air.
Was she still cursing?
Yup, definitely cursing.
“What is wrong with you?” she sputtered, finally shoving the hair away from her mouth. “Are you trying to kill me?” Her eyes spat fire, and she squirmed in my arms like a vicious cat trying to get free.
“Quit moving! There’s glass everywhere, and you aren’t wearing shoes.”
She went still, her gaze dropping to her bare feet then to the glass glittering across the floorboards. “I broke the lantern,” she mumbled without a hint of apology. “The blasted thing slipped out of my hands when I tried to climb onto the table.”
I lifted her higher against my chest to get a better hold. “And what were you doing on the table?”
She made a face as if the answer should be obvious and gestured wildly toward the windows. “I was tearing down the curtains!”
“What? Why?”
“Because it’s too dark in here even when they’re pulled back. I don’t like it, and I couldn’t take it anymore. This room may be well-furnished, but it’s as dark as a crypt. Ever heard of natural lighting?”
“Ever heard of asking? I suppose that answers my question about the suit of armor. You must have moved him too, busted his arm while you were at it.” Stepping out of the glass field, I strode toward the bed and tossed her onto the mattress.
Her temper spiked as she bounced clumsily on the wide surface. She let out another curse and jabbed her finger into the air once she’d gained her equilibrium.
“Do you have any idea what it’s like trying to sleep with a weird, lifelike tin statue staring at you from the corner? It’s terrifying.”
I ducked my head to conceal an amused smile and searched the floor for her shoes. I found them hiding under the bed and dug them out.
“Put these on. I’ll have someone come clean the glass and remove the statue. And check with me next time you want to do a little reorganizing.” I walked toward the window with the remaining curtain and yanked it free, dodging the metal rod that fell with it.
Liana stuffed her feet into her shoes and stepped quickly over the glass to reach her belt lying on top of the bureau. With the curtains gone, light framed her back, making her blonde hair glow in a halo of sunshine. She attached the belt to her waist, taking a second to check the sheathed dagger. She carried it with her everywhere. Probably ate her meals with it, and I wouldn’t be shocked if she slept with it too.
Such strange habits…
“Let’s go,” I said, crooking my finger. “I’ll have your breakfast sent down to the workshop, and then I’m going to show you the plans for your commission. Meet me there in twenty minutes.”
A spark of interest flickered in her gaze, but it faded as she chewed the corner of her lip. “Uh, about your workshop…”
