Chapter Twenty-Two
The night air was cool as they walked the few steps to the Healing Hall. The dogs paced beside them quietly.
Warna opened the main door, and stepped within to utter darkness. She paused as Verice came in behind her. “Just a moment, I’ll strike a—”
Verice whispered a soft word under his breath and every candle in the room flared to life.
Warna gasped in utter delight. “Lord and Lady,” she breathed. “I tend to forget you can do that.”
Verice raised his eyebrows. Standing in the center of the rug, he seemed to pull all the light to him, tall and commanding. The dogs had piled in with him, and were sniffing everything in sight.
“My thanks, m’lord,” Warna said.
“For lighting your candles?” Verice asked.
“For the meal,” Warna answered simply. “For the work, the shelter, the...haven.”
“You’ll be comfortable here?” Verice peered up the dark stairs. “Alone?”
“I’ll be fine,” Warna took up one of the small lanterns. The candle within flickered and flamed.
“Wait,” Verice moved closer, reaching for the lantern’s door.
Warna held it higher, suddenly conscious of Verice’s warmth as he leaned down and removed the candle. His scent tickled her nose, his silver hair brushing her arm like silk. Part of her wanted to step back, to seek her own space. Part of her wanted something more. Something exciting, and terrifying at the same—
“Let’s make this a bit safer.” Verice held out his hand, and started to chant quietly. A small swirl of light started to coalesce in the center of his palm. Sparkling strands of light wrapped themselves in a tiny ball.
Warna caught her breath, afraid to breathe for fear of destroying it.
Verice chuckled. “It’s not fragile.” He placed it inside the lantern and worked the shutter, dimming and brightening the light. “You see?”
“Will it fade?” Warna asked, admiring the golden glow.
“Eventually,” Verice said. “All things do.”
Warna glanced at his face then, saw the weariness in his eyes. “You’re tired,” she murmured. She lowered the lantern, and eased back from his warmth. “Thank you for the escort, m’lord.”
Verice frowned slightly. “Sand, Gray,” he waited for the dogs to turn their heads, then nodded toward her. “Guard.”
“That’s not necessary,” Warna protested as the dogs heaved themselves up and walked toward her.
“For company, if nothing else,” Verice said firmly.
“Thank you.” Warna took the lantern, and started up the steps, the dogs following. It felt wrong. She hesitated, glancing back, not really wanting to leave. No, not really wanting to leave...him.
She caught him off guard. For the barest of moments, she saw a flash of heat in his eyes, gone so quickly she must have imagined it.
Verice bowed to her. “Sleep well,” and then he was gone, the other dogs with him, the door pulled quietly closed behind him, the latch catching with a click.
His desire caughtVerice off guard.
She paused on the stairs, the lantern in one hand, the other on the railing, half-turned in the light to look back at him. The gold of her hair gleamed and her skin glowed.
His body reacted, but he denied it in an instant, stifling the impulse to follow her up the stairs. There must have been something in his face, since her blue eyes went wide, startled but unafraid.
He bowed, hiding his eyes. “Sleep well,” and slipped through the door as quickly as he could. He stood there, catching his breath, listening to her fading footsteps. He waited until he heard her above, then he left, cursing himself for a fool.
Warna shifted, restlessunder her blankets.
