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The creature was not helping his situation. Rune paused, glancing over the tomes, realizing he’d shelved the last three books incorrectly. He rearranged the volumes and spoke into his mind.
Give her space. She will see us when she is ready.
The creature growled its disagreement and attempted to phase them into the hallway.
Calm yourself or I will bury you.
The Ra’Voshnik circled his mind, running its claws over Rune’s awareness.She needs us. Comfort her. She wants young. She is nervous because you left her unanswered. Your missteps are turning her from us.
Be silent.
I will give her the young she desires if you will not.The Ra’Voshnik snickered as Faye’s footsteps stopped in the doorway. Rune tensed, holding the leather-bound book in his hands so tight he was leaving indentions in its cover.You’re nervous.
Rune ignored the creature, turning toward Faye. “Good morning,” he said. His words felt stiff. He wasn’t certain what to say to her. It would be best to let her lead.
She tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “Good morning.” She glanced past him at the travesty that befell his library. She grimaced and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she did this.”
Tell her it’s fine. Tell her she can have your dusty library if it pleases her.
Faye stepped into his study and the Ra’Voshnik purred tracking her movements as she maneuvered around the piles of books. She stopped at the first bookshelf still containing tomes. “I can help you flip your books around.”
Rune watched her pull the tome free and said, “Your sister did more than flip the books.” She turned toward him and he continued with a grin, “She shuffled them. All of them.”
Her lips parted as she looked at the book in her hands and the stacks surrounding them. Her cheeks pinkened as her gaze rose to meet his. “Can I help you put them back?”
“I’m afraid my books are in High Tongue,” Rune said, setting his volume on a pile beside him.
She did the same and looked up at him. “Can we talk?”
Yes!The Ra’Voshnik cried frantically for her.
“Of course,” he said. Faye continued to watch him, and Rune swallowed, reaching for something to add.
“Would you like to sit?” Rune asked as he dragged the creature into the depths of his mind. Silencing its prattle.
Rune’s mind blanked as she walked to the settee instead of his desk and his thoughts ran to the last time they’d sat there. She took a seat on one end with a knee tucked under her and examined her nails in an effort not to look at him.
“I thought you would need space before we started our meetings again,” Rune lied as he took a seat on the opposite end. The meetings were pointless. He was searching for a spell that didn’t exist. He would need to come up with another solution once he settled her to the idea.
“It’s not that.” She took a deep breath and her hands fell in her lap as she met his gaze. “Did you have a thing with Sadi? Is that why you don’t want to do my ceremony? It’s weird?”
Rune blinked, struck mute. Caught off guard by questions he wasn’t expecting.
Answer her! Your hesitation looks like admittance. Let me rise if you can’t speak to her, the Ra’Voshnik’s voice echoed from far below him.
He swallowed and said, “No. I have never been intimate with Sadi.”
Tell her we desire her.
Faye studied her nails again and said without looking at him, “I’m not as practiced, or as polished as your other lovers.” Her cheeks flushed and she glanced up at him. She swallowed but didn’t look away. “If you showed me what to do, my ceremony could be pleasant for both of us.”
For the first time in Rune’s long life, his face heated.
“That— It…” Rune’s words failed him as the Ra’Voshnik roared. Thrashing against the bonds imprisoning it.
He exhaled, “Pleasure is not the reason I refused your ceremony.”
Her eyes hardened as tension set in her shoulders. “What other reason do you have to deny me,” Faye demanded, anger dripping from her every word.
