This damn nickname.
She nodded once, still avoiding eye contact.
“Right. And the marks? May I see them?”
They both held out their arms and I crossed the room to critically examine the runes on their skin. Same mark, same sort of soft glow to them.
“They didn’t always do that,” Asha said.
“No?” I asked as I poked and prodded.
“No, they were dull when we woke up. They didn’t start glowing until, uhm, after.”
I stopped my poking to look at her and she blushed again when we made eye contact.
Oh.
“So you can scream his name and rake your nails down his back, but you can’t say the word sex? Are you sure you should even be having sex?” I snarked, unable to control my tongue.
Asha blanched at my words and Ben stiffened in my grasp.
Shit. They’re patients. Act like a Healer, not a jealous ex-whatever.
“Fay,” Ben’s tone was low, and warning as he wrapped his free arm around Asha.
“Right. Not professional of me. Excuse me, Asha. That was uncalled for.” I dropped Ben’s arm and retreated to my armchair where I spent the next few minutes detailing their experiences and sketching the runes.
Ben and Asha were silent as I worked, but I could feel their gazes on each other. I peeked a glance over my notebook and took in the expressions on their faces.
Ben never looked at me like that. He loved me, I thought, in his own way. But he never looked at me like I hung the moon.
Another pang of sadness shot through me, and I cleared my throat.
“Any other side effects to report?” I clipped.
“It’s like I can feel her, if that makes sense? Like she’s just out of reach of my mind, a presence but not a conscious presence is the best way I can describe it.” I hummed at that as I took note, vowing to read more ofThe Bondsmithin case there were any clues as to what that meant.
“Okay. Thanks, Ben. Asha.” I snapped my journal closed and put it back in my waistband. “If anything else happens, or you notice any changes, please let me know. I’ll check back in within the next week just to see what’s changed.”
I made for the door, but Ben stopped me.
“That’s it?” he asked, incredulously.
“Yep.” I shrugged my shoulders, keeping a carefully neutral expression.
“Are you . . . okay?” he asked tentatively.
“Why wouldn’t I be, Ben? You’re Bonded. I knew this was a possibility if you both woke up. Sure, seeing it is something else entirely and I’m not saying that I’m particularly fond of the whole thing, considering we never actually ended our . . . whatever it was.” Ben flinched at that. “But I’ve been around Bonds enough to understand what happens when someone else is tied to you. It’s, well it’s not fine, but it will be. For now, I’m going to give you your space, and I ask that you do the same. Unless something happens with the Bond or you suddenly garner some new ability, I’d like to keep our interactions to a minimum.”
I took a deep breath.
Hooray for word vomit.
“Okay, Fay. If that’s what you want.” Ben smiled sadly. “Though, if you’d like to join us, Asha said she’d be open to it.”
I outright laughed at that. “Thank you, Asha, I’m flattered. But I don’t share.”
I gave them both a small wave before I exited their room and headed out of the servant’s wing toward the stairs to my own room.
